Rehabilitate displaced Kashmiri Pandits in J-K: Overseas body to govt

Washington, October 22

An organisation of overseas Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday urged the government to rehabilitate the displaced members of the community in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which will come into existence on October 31 after the reorganisation of the state.

“Actions taken by the Indian government after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A directly impact our existence. A new light of hope has energised our community for the first time after our forced exodus three decades ago,” the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) said.

Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community from across the US gathered in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC over the weekend for a day-long conference to discuss the post-Article 370 situation.

The development, they said, had brought out “many pent-up memories of loss and pain”.

“Each of us has our own stories of our lost childhood, lost homes mixed with feelings of lost friendships, betrayal and a feeling of being disowned, dispossessed and uprooted,” KOA president Shakun Malik said in a statement.

In a resolution, the KOA urged the Indian government to establish in Jammu and Kashmir an environment of empowerment, sustainable development and foolproof security.

It appealed to the Centre to develop programmes and services that would provide security, job opportunities, business opportunities, health care, education, and cultural preservation and promotion for the Kashmiri Pandit community in the newly established Jammu and Kashmir.

It also demanded the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. PTI