Omar Abdullah warns against 'ghettoisation' of Kashmiri Pandits

JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed his opposition to state and central governments' plans for building "composite townships" for Kashmiri Pandits saying no one will support "ghettoisation" in segregated and "inherently unsafe camps" in the Kashmir Valley.

In a series of tweets, Omar made it clear that "no right- minded Kashmiri will oppose the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homes in the Valley."

But at the same time, "no right-minded Kashmiri will support the ghettoisation of Kashmiri Pandits, housed in segregated inherently unsafe camps in the Valley."

He expressed doubts if many Pandits will like the idea of separate townships. "I very much doubt very many Kashmiri Pandits would like to return to the Valley just to be housed in ghettos, segregated and isolated," Omar, who is the working President of main opposition National Conference, tweeted.

He said his party will do everything possible to support the return of Pandits to the Valley "in keeping with our composite culture and Kashmiriyat."

The reactions from Omar came a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had asked state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for identifying land for creating composite townships for 62,000 displaced pandit families who had left the state at the onset of militancy in early 1990s.

Sayeed had assured that the state government will soon acquire land for creating "composite townships" for them.