Kashmiri Pandit's woes & worries in Exile can not be ignored

Kashmiri Pandit's woes &  worries in Exile can not be ignored :

More than five lack Kashmiri Pandits a  micro minority community  of Kashmir who has a history of more than five thousand years of its existence in Kashmir   is living in forceful  exodus for last more than thirty four years in Camps and non Camps in District  Udhampur, Jammu and many other parts of the country where they still face huge problems on account of their honorable survival and livelihood. This peace loving and patriot community fell victim to Pakistan Sponsored Terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism that erupted in Kashmir valley in 1989-90 with the sole aim to separate Kashmir from India and make it a part of Pakistan which proved to be a futile exercise ultimately but the most affected community in this turmoil was Kashmiri Pandits who not only had to leave behind  decades old their homes and hearths but also immovable properties  worth crores which were and are mostly illegally grabbed soon after their forceful exodus. 

This community also suffered huge massacres and target killings that shattered their mental and physical strengthen badly. Soon after their forceful exodus about twenty six thousand Government jobs were also either grabbed or filled by the people here under a well thought out plan and this also rendered many families source-less and put a big question mark on administrative system. In this way the entire kashmiri Pandits were wiped out from Kashmir which has put a big question mark on the entire secularism and social fabric of this hinterland.

This all took place under a well worked out game plan in which not only terrorists or their sympathizers were involved but also top political leaders of many regional and National parties were actively involved who  facilitated the forceful migration of Kashmiri Pandits,  their  illegal land encroachments, helped in  gutting  down maximum KP houses, temples, shrines and tried to wipe out Kashmiri Pandits from their  complete roots of the valley to which they succeeded  fully.

This all happened under the nose of the then union  and State Governments who felt themselves handicapped before Hurriyat people, Pakistan sponsored Terrorists and their weak and appeasement  policies. Hence there was complete system  paralysis at both the levels that boosted the morale of anti national elements, terrorists, Hurriyat people  and with this big historic mass exodus of more than five lack kashmiri Hindus took place  within days and it was marked as the darkest day of Indian democracy.

Kashmiri Pandits have been targeted  time timely since their existence but their complete eradication from their ancestral roots took place on mass level in 1989 in which Hurriyat conference, politicians, anti idian tirade, some politicians played a champions role on forefront. 

How many Kashmiri Pandits are left in Kashmir now?

In 1990, most of the Kashmiri Pandits were totally homeless, bankrupt, desperate, in a state of depression and in a state of big mental trauma and now one knew what to do and how to survive outside their homes and hearths. There was also hue and cry in the community and most difficult part was to bear the scorching heat of summer season which they had never seen and felt in their entire life. They were forced to live in tents in Udhampur and outskirts of Jammu and countless deaths took place due to snake bites and sun strokes & due to high temperature of summer season. This community who used to live once a healthy and prosperous life in their decades old roots in kashmir was rendered homeless and helpless running from pillar to post for want of help to survival with a lot a hue and cry within this community. This period was most toughest and pathetic time for this displaced community.

In 1990, most of the Kashmiri Pandits were totally homeless, bankrupt, desperate, in a state of depression  and in a state of big  mental trauma and now one knew what to do and how to survive outside their homes and hearths. There was also  hue and cry in the community and most difficult part was to bear the scorching heat of summer season which they had never seen and felt in their entire life. They  were forced to live in tents  in Udhampur and outskirts of Jammu and countless  deaths took place due to snake bites and sun strokes &  due to high temperature of summer season. This community who used to live once a healthy and prosperous life in their decades old  roots in kashmir was rendered homeless and helpless running from pillar to post for want of help to survival with a lot a hue and cry within this community. This period was most toughest and pathetic time for this displaced community.

They had to survive  on a meager cash assistance and few kilos of rice but it is true that many organizations came forward like BJP , RSS and social organizations for help and did whatever could be possible for their survival but the number of displaced kashmiri pandits was very high so could not accommodate  the whole community in it. The community with great efforts and struggle succeeded in getting first employment Package named as Prime Minister's Employees Package with 6000 posts that too supernumeri posts without Transfer policy in 2008 which too is matter of  woe and worry for the community. These posts should have been placed as transferable at par with the genral line employees of  the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Accordingly first primarily Township at Jagti colony was also established also for accomodating these displaced hindus from temporary camps.

Another big challenge the community is facing in exile is that unemployment among educated youth which is on rise and there is a lot frustation, desperation and demoralization in them because no employment package or any any special recruitment drive has been carried for this micro displaced community for last more than fourteen years that needs to addressed on the priority basis by announcing ten thousands Jobs for kashmiri Pandit educated youth in order to provide solace to the affected community living in pathetic conditions in exile. The new employment package should be transferable at par with the genral employees of Union Territory without any bond system.

Another severe problems the community in exile in facing is that a big percentage of migrants are still living on rental  basis in udhampur, Jammu and other parts of the country and are hardly and with great difficulty managing their livelihood. Therefore additional adequate quarters be constructed in Jammu in order to accomodate the diplaced migrants living on rents who are hardly being able to pay their usual rents till they are permanently rehabilitated in valley.

It is most important to pay attention towards overaged educated Youth of Kashmiri Displaced people by providing them compensation, loan scehmes on low interest rates so that they can start small business units in order  to eke out their livelihood. 

It is further added that fifty percent compensation of gutted and damaged properties of this community in kashmir Valley is still pending countless migrants have been  running from pillar to post for their balance compensation that needs to be addressed on priroty basis to ease their mental agony.

There is one more big problem that this community is facing is monthly cash assistance which is too meager to normally maintain and manage a family in this hard time when the price hike in essential commodities is touching the sky thus Goverment of India must take a humanitarian review on it by increasing it at least from rupees 13000 to rupees  25000 per month in order to allow them to eke out their livelihood till they are permanent rehabilitation is made possible.

Another big worry and concern this community is facing is that their immovable properties worth crores are still under encroahement and illegally occupied by anti social elements and a small land Mafia  in their native places in kashmir Valley who don't want kashmiri Pandits be permanently settled back in kashmir Valley. All winds have thrown to immovable Migrant property act 1997 which is enacted to preserve, protect and restore the illegally occupied migrant lands in valley under the custodianship of Concerned Dy. Commissioners. A high-level committee be constituted at the to  level to enquire about the facts of illegally occupied migrant lands, shrines and temples  and migrant portal be reactivated with strict accountability to provide time bound solace to migrants greviences.

It is very strange and unfortunate that despite passing more than thirty fours, no concrete policy or any road map has been made by any Government for permanent rehabilitation of Kashmir Pandits back in Valley seriously which is the most strange and also a big failure on part of all the political parties who never took this issue seriously for restoring back lost secularism  and Kashmiryat that has put a big blot on the entire kashmiriyat. Therefore some concrete rehabilitation policy in consultation with Kashmiri Pandit community leaders  be framed at the earliest in order to end their 34 years of forceiful exodus.

Conclusion :

The woes and worries of Kashmiri Pandits cannot be ignored and neglected but  deserves serious reviews over all and it is the bouden duty of the Government at the helm of affairs in India and Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir to addressed their problems seriously as this nationalist and patriotic community has given countless sacrifices for the motherland and have suffered irreparable losses for sake of the country and Nation. Therefore this minority displaced  community of Kashmir can not be neglected and ignored for a long time as it has the history of five thousand years and has contributed a lot in nation building ventures since its existence.

The major challanges and problems this community over all is confronting with in exile  on the fronts like creation of  new ten thousand  Jobs, Rehabilitation back in Valley, with honour and dignity, enhancement of monthly cash assistance, creation of additional infrastructure for non camp migrants living on rents, release of balance compensation for gutted and damaged properties in Valley, special loan schemes on low interest rates  for over aged educated KP youth to start up  their business units ,  implementation of immovable Migrant Property act 1997 in true letter and spirit, Passage of temples and shrines bill, special recruitment drive in camps and non camps to tackle rising unemployment among the educated dipalaced Kashmiri pandits, making PM package employees Jobs transferable at par with normal employees of Jammu & Kashmir  etc that  needs  to be given a serious humantarin  look and consideration for providing immediate solace to this hapless community  which is right now the  need of the hour. 

Thanks from :

Team Panaromicspots.

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