Government's refusal to create zones for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits may trigger protests

By Hakeem Irfan

NEW DELHI: The central government’s refusal to create exclusive zones for rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley has disappointed the community, who allege that BJP exploited their sufferings for electoral gains and is now in a hurry to bury the issue.

Kashmiri Pandits reiterated that they would return to the Valley only if separate zones are set up for them since they feel it’s too risky to live in their erstwhile neighborhoods.

Pandits also feel cheated by the government’s ‘ambiguous and fluctuating’ stand on the issue.

Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary’s statement, for instance, on the floor of Parliament that the government has no plans to create separate zones for Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir is likely to trigger protests and political showdown between the Pandits and the BJP-led NDA government, which otherwise claims to espouse the cause of the community.

Last week, many BJP supporters joined the protests organised by Kashmiri Pandits at Jantar Mantar, demanding their dignified return to Kashmir.
“BJP is full of contradictions. The party has realised that it is a difficult issue and there are no easy solutions. Now they are desperate to get rid of it,” says Kamal Hak of Panun Kashmir, an organization that believes in setting up of a separate homeland with UT status for Pandits.

“But the problem is BJP wants to do it on its own terms,” Hak adds.

Kashmiri Pandits, who saw hope after PM Narendra Modi extended his support for their cause during his election last year, are now a disappointed lot and don’t expect much from the government.

“The actions of BJP over the past one year have made us realize that they just exploited our issue for gaining sympathy during elections,” says Vijay Raina of Kashmir Samiti, which is also striving for a separate homeland with UT status.

As of now 62,000 migrant families --mostly Pandits, Sikhs and some Muslims -- are registered with the government in Jammu, Delhi and other parts of India.