KASHMIRI PANDITS AND THE LURING PROMISES
Thirty years mark a generation and on one hand, as the displaced Pandits from Kashmir complete their thirty two years in exile, on the other hand it is also one generation of theirs that has grown its off shoots without any connect to their roots. Keeping in view the current scenario and absence of any ray of hope at the end of dark tunnel, it seems many more generation of theirs are going to survive with a void of touch to their homeland. The concoction of a rich Kashmiri pandit heritage has already started happening and there is a high probability of its getting assimilated into north India, all at the cost of losing that unique culture and language. For a country like India which safeguards the rights of each and every citizen and believes in the diversity as an art of thinking together independently, the gradual dwindling of both the language and culture of minority community of Kashmiri Pandits will be a blot in its glory.
The Kashmiri Pandits exodus has remained a political slugfest between the major parties with each party milking the issue for their own political and electoral gains. Not much has been offered on ground in terms of rehabilitation or justice to the exiled community, although on papers and election rallies lot has been talked about them and their well-being. The recent portray of the sufferings of 1990’s in a movie which took the media by storm also could not be of any help to them. The luring promises as well as questions about welfare of Kashmiri Pandits by various political parties and their leaders is getting emptier day by day, losing both an emotion and empathy in it.
Even the abrogation of article 370 and 35A which was seen by many in the community as a big step to facilitate their return to the valley has turned out to be a sham. Despite the two years of its revocation, thousands of migrant Kashmiri pandits are still residing in camps and ghetto colonies in Jammu and Delhi with deplorable living conditions, cramping, water shortage and poor quality of construction. If the sources are to be believed there has been an allotment of almost 3000 acres of land for industrial purposes post revocation and the Kashmiri Pandits who have been waiting since years for their resettlement have failed to secure even an allotment of few hundred acres for their rehabilitation.
Forget about this allotment of land, the lack of seriousness in addressing the cause and issues of displaced Kashmiri Pandits is evidenced by discerning the plight of PM package and non-package employees working in Kashmir. Since the targeted cold blood killing of one of the migrant employees inside his office on May 10 these migrant employees have been sitting on dharna in support of their one point demand of relocation to safer places outside the Kashmir valley. However, all this protest is either falling onto deaf ears or is distinctly imperceptible as neither the media nor any news channel has ever tried to highlight the plight of these struggling and protesting migrants. On one hand they are being made targets of mayhem by the enemies of humanity and on the other hand they are forced by authorities to perform their duties in such vicious and unsafe environment. In short, these migrant employees are being used as a fodder crop both by the resistance force in valley and the administrative forces lobbying in AC rooms.
By effectuating the targeted killing of these minority employees from time to time, the resistance forces in valley are proving their might and existence while forcing the bewailing and protesting migrants to be stationed in valley only, the government is claiming a larger than life image of return of normalcy in valley. At a time when the hit list that includes names of 56 Kashmiri Pandit government employees has been issued in open by the resistance forces and has triggered panic in the community, the duty of administration should be to protect the life, limb and dignity of these people. Rather than being duty bound and safeguard the rights of these people at this critical juncture, the forceful tactics of holding their salaries, relieving them from their place of postings even in their absentia and making biometric attendance compulsory etc. is all being adopted to compel their stay so to create a delusional atmosphere of prevailing peace and security in valley.
The problem of Kashmiri Pandits in reality is a humanitarian issue and more importantly an issue of their identity. However, it is being visualised more as a political matter with each political party baking their bread by keeping the matter unsolved and raking up the issue for emotional support and votes from the community at the time of election. Even the Bollywood director who portrayed the sufferings of community people in his movie used their sad and grim plight for his own fame and monetary benefits.
Looking at the plight of Kashmiri Pandits despite schemes and promises by successive governments reflects a lack of political will and there is no doubt that the politicians for their personal gains will keep this kind of pot boiling by not finding a final solution to it. This, more or less, brings more onus on all of us and it is the duty of every responsible citizen of country to highlight the plight of these helpless, powerless and marginalised community who are known for their intellect and not politics. The pandits also need to think beyond their emotions, accept the practical reality and take decision wisely not only for their short term but also long term survival, both in life and dignity.
Dr. Pawan Suri
Director and Chief cardiologist
Global Hospital
email: psuricardio@gmail.com
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