Kashmiri Pandits by Dr. S M Yunus Gilani (JR210 YG01)

Kashmiri Pandits by Dr. S M Yunus Gilani )JR210 YG01)

Introduction

In January 2020, the migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley has completed thirty years. The cultural and social roots of the Pandits were in the Kashmir Valley. Before escaping from there, he had to face extreme injustice, violence and humiliation. The main cause of this migration was the communalization of extremism in the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s. Since then, no government has made a serious effort to solve the problem of Pandits. But the communal elements have been continuously using the issue of Kashmiri Pandits to silence liberals and human rights activists. Whenever they talk about the plight of Muslim minorities in India, the underprivileged section immediately asks them "what about Kashmiri Pandits". Now the situation has become such that these minorities of Kashmir Valley are on the verge of losing their civil rights.

Pandits used as a ploy

Whenever there is communal violence in the country, human rights organizations demand justice and rehabilitation for the suffering minorities. Instead of supporting this demand, Hindu nationalists start shouting that where were you when Hindus were being driven away from Kashmir. It is obvious that the injustice done to one minority group in this process is being justified on the grounds that another minority group also had to undergo tragic circumstances. This is an attempt to normalize communal violence. It seems as if those who draw attention to the situation of Muslim minorities or talk about the rights of minorities are the only ones responsible for the present situation of Kashmiri Pandits.

Center rule

In these three decades, BJP, Congress and United Front have ruled the country from the center. At the time when Kashmiri Pandits escaped from the valley, there was President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir and there was Vishwanath Pratap Singh's government in Delhi. The BJP was supporting this government from outside. After this, the NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee ruled for almost sixteen years from 1998. Since 2014, the BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ruling the country. This government enjoys a majority in Parliament. BJP's allies are also getting the benefit of power but they have no role in determining the policies of the government. Modi is the surveyor of this government and after him is the number of Home Minister Amit Shah. Those who are making a stir on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits, their sole purpose is to hide their communal intentions. What happened in Kashmir is certainly worrying and condemnable, but it is not right to blame Indian Muslims for that. Communal forces are indirectly and directly trying to blame the Muslims of India for the situation in Kashmir. The Government of India has taken several steps in the matter of Kashmir. These include removal of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution and reducing the status of Kashmir from the state to Union Territory. All these steps have further undermined the possibility of Kashmiri Pandits returning to the valley as the valley is suffocated and the leaders of democracy are under house arrest under the PSA. Under this act, these people can be kept under house arrest for a long time without judicial review. Internet services are closed in the valley and democratic rights have been limited. Clearly, this has made any problem in the valley more difficult to solve.

Kashmir Issue

The problem of Kashmir is very complex. Extremism flourished there by suppressing the autonomy of the state government. The extremists also got the support of Pakistan. Meanwhile elements like al-Qaeda entered the valley. He was in free time after dealing with the Russian army in Afghanistan. He communalized the movement of Kashmiris. Initially, Kashmiriyat was the basis of Kashmiri extremism, which has nothing to do with Islam. Kashmiriyat is a synthesis of the teachings of Buddha and Sufi saints and the values of Vedanta. The period of torture of Kashmiri Pandits started only after elements like Al Qaeda entered the valley.

Prior to the exodus of the Pandits, they were requested by the Goodwill Mission to remain in the valley. Local Muslims also promised that they will stop the propaganda against the Pandits. At that time Jagmohan, who later became a minister in the NDA government, was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Instead of conducting intensive campaign against extremists and providing security to the Pandits, they provided facilities for their mass exodus from the valley. Why was this done?

Instead of using the issue of Kashmiri Pandits to bring charges and counter-allegations and to put Indian Muslims and human rights activists in the dock, there is a need to solve this problem. The previous NDA government had proposed a separate residential area for the Pandits in the valley. Is this the solution to this problem? Pundits need justice. The government should set up a judicial commission that identifies the elements responsible for the exodus of the Pandits and should take legal steps that make the Pandits feel safe in the valley. Would the Pandits like to return to a Kashmir where democracy is being strangled and armed with automatic weapons are deployed at every corner? For the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiriyat will have to be revived and an appropriate cultural and religious atmosphere will have to be created for them.

Beginning of August 2019 all yatris, tourists & even Bihari labourers were evicted by the government ( governor raj) to pave way for scraping article 370 & crush the locals. The details of that week / month are easily available on all your news sites and still fresh in your memory...The same way in 1990 Kashmir pandits(hindus) were one night transported out under Governor’s rule while curfew had been clamped to “treat” local Muslims.The nonMuslims who refused to leave stay comfortable all through...“.... the then communal Governor of Kashmir Jagmohan, under a plan coerced the Pandits to migrate ... According to the plan, the pandit migration would help him in being successful to carry genocide of the Muslim youth of Kashmir and crush the “insurgency”. The migration was deemed necessary in order to have minimal collateral damage of the Kashmiri Pandits. The Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims were undistinguished as they shared the same attire, language, skin color and culture. Maybe the other Non Muslim minority of Kashmir i.e. the Sikhs were distinguished by their turbans and beards, hence they were not ordered to leave under clandestine plans. It is being stated that Jagmohan assured the Pandit leaders that once the genocide of youth and suppression of armed insurgency is over, they would be let to return to their homeland. A promise that was never honored and respected, resulting in the homelessness of Kashmiri Pandits.....”The age old wits were outwitted , befooled & rendered refugees & homeless in the country they “loved”...Also see how this famous KP viewd this Issue .(We may not be comfortable with all his views but it is good to know thier view from  their mouth/ pen)* ...https://www.maryscullyreports.com/sanjay-kak-on-the-exodus-of-kashmiri-pandits-from-kashmir/

Unanswered Questions  

“In January 2020, the migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley has completed thirty years. The cultural and social roots of the Pandits were in the Kashmir Valley. Before escaping from there, he had to face extreme injustice, violence and humiliation. The main cause of this migration was the communalization of extremism in the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s. Since then, no government has made a serious effort to solve the problem of Pandits. But the communal elements have been continuously using the issue of Kashmiri Pandits to silence liberals and human rights activists. Whenever they talk about the plight of Muslim minorities in India, the underprivileged section immediately asks them "what about Kashmiri Pandits". Now the situation has become such that these minorities of Kashmir Valley are on the verge of losing their civil rights.”

            This begs several questions to be a answered:     

1.       What did the congress governments since 1948 to 2015 and the present day BJP government do for preventing their exodus? Whose responsibility it was to create peaceful understanding among these 2 Kashmiri residents? Main Indian govts or underdogged Kashmiri govts?

2.      How many Pundits were evacuated and how many Kashmiris killed in this period of 71 years?

3.      These Pundits migrated to their own country India, so why this loud hue and cry?

4.      What is your answer to the present curfew in Kashmir for these more than six months?

5.      Did you condemn Modi for his transferring this occupied area into open jail on Earth to promote atrocities and killings there for the last six months under 900,000 military men?

6.      IS THIS ENORMOUS MILITARY FORCE A PEACE KEEPING FORCE? THEN WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE THERE?? ARE THEY HUMANS OR BUTCHERS? WHY DID THESE PUNDITS CAUSED SENDING 900,000 WELL ARMED FORCES THERE.

7.      WHYDIDN'T THE INDIAN GOVTS ARRANGED THE PLEBISCITE VOTING THERE AS PROMISED TO UNO??

8.      YOU PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SWALLOWED JUNAGADH, MANAWADER AND HYDERABAD STATES BEFORE AND NOW KASHMIR, WHY?? ARE YOU HINDUS PEACEFUL WHERE YOU RULE??

9.      WHY MUSLIMS, LIVING FOR CENTURIES IN INDIA ARE DENIED CITIZENSHIP, WHERE AS YOU INDIANS GET CITIZENSHIP IN 5 YEARS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES, WHY THIS PARITY?? ARE YOU NORMAL PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET??

10.  WHY DO YOU PEOPLE URGE TO DECIDE MUTUAL DISPUTES ON BATTLE FIELDS? CAN'T YOU DECIDE THESE DISPUTES PEACEFULLY THROUGH MUTUAL NEGOTIATIONS?? DO YOU HINDUS HAVE A SINCERE WILL TO DECIDE DISPUTES THROUGH MUTUAL NEGOTIATIONS??

11.  WILL YOU INDIANS ALLOW UNO TO RESOLVE THESE DISPUTES FOR THESE 2 COUNTRIES? IF NOT, WHY NOT??

WHY DON'T YOU INDIANS LIVE AND LET OTHERS LIVE IN PEACE?IS YOUR MIGHT IS RIGHT IN ALL SITUATIONS??