Er P L Khushu
What was constantly been demanded by the forcibly displaced Kashmiri Pandits from the valley for instituting a high level probe about the mass killings and exodus of the Pandits from the valley, under a well-knit design of the pan Islamist elements working in Kashmir, fuelled and fanned by Pakistan and abetted by some of the political leaders of Kashmir for their vote-bank politics, now bears enough credence, with the scintillating disclosure by a prominent political leader of Jammu just a day or so back in a big public gathering. This prominent and a credible political leader is reported to have made a sensational disclosure that highest authority in the UPA had intervened to get the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill stalled. Devender Singh Rana, former legislator and a political leader of enough credence has reportedly further said there was nothing uncomfortable in the legislation except preservation of the valuable religious treasure of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. As per press reports, “I say it on record that sustained efforts were made to stall the passage of the Bill”, Rana said while paying tribute to Pandit Prem Nath Bhat on Chetna Diwas organised by Pandit Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust. Rana said the machinations against the Kashmiri Pandits did not end up with their horrible exodus at the gun-point but it continued thereafter too with slogans like ‘honorable and safe return’ becoming a fashion statement for all those donning the mantle of governance. They did nothing except delivering emotive slogans without any substance, he added. He, however, lauded the resilience and assimilative character of the brave community which weathered all storms with fortitude. He described the forced exodus of the entire ethnic community from their homes and hearths as one of the major tragedies of the twentieth century and sought Truth & Reconciliation Commission under a retired Supreme Court Judge to find out the circumstance leading to commission of human rights violation of such a magnitude. “Ethnic cleansing of aborigines from their land of ancestors is unheard,” Rana observed, saying it is a matter of concern for people to become refugees in their own country. Rana wondered why the pain of lakhs of displaced people has not evoked the conscience of the self-styled champions of human rights for over three decades, saying silence of convenience by activists and self proclaimed liberals explodes their duplicity and double standards. He even questioned the selective silence of the UNHRC which remains at tenterhooks on each and every issue. He also took on the people, attributing the exodus to, what they say, conspiracy hatched by a former Governor, asking why Pandit Prem Nath Bhat was martyred on this day in 1989 when Jagmohan was not in the scene at all. He said such allegations unfortunately provide shield to Pakistan and her lackeys who perpetrated the exodus under a well-knit strategy rolled out by General Zia-ul-Haq in his notorious and infamous Operation Topac. Subjecting Kashmiri Pandits to accusations is like sprinkling salt to their wounds, he observed, lamenting this should not have happened to the civilized community whose contribution to intellectual and educational emancipation to societies and generations has been immense.
Entire Kashmiri Pandit community is highly thankful to him for his bold exposures about the mischievous designs of the ruling clan of that time, both at the centre as also at the state level, which prominently include some of the so called tall leaders of some prominent political party’s of Kashmir who are now beating their breasts about the abrogation of the Articles 370, 35 A and the like, shedding crocodile tears for people of Kashmir, trying their best to retrieve back their decades old dynastic hold to rule Jammu and Kashmir by proxy. It is hoped such a cry about the distress and dilemma being faced by the KPs after their mass forced exodus and killings will arise from other prominent political leaders of Jammu in particular and from the rest of India in general. Such a hair rising revelations by Rana has evoked enough of confidence in Kashmiri Pandits, feeling that some saner voices are there to plead their cause and thus applying a soothing balm to their bleeding wounds of mass killings and subsequent exodus from Kashmir.
In 1989, terrorists in Kashmir killed around 8 Kashmiri Pandits between the months of September to December, after which thousands of Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the place. Kashmiri Pandits get reminded of their Kashmir which was known as ‘Paradise on Earth’, full of Sufi cult and an abode of tolerance and unparalleled brotherhood. This all broke in one night, the night of 19th January-1990. This paradise of the Pandits became a death trap for them due to the spurt of terrorism backed by Islamic fundamentalism sponsored across the border, when each one of them were caught unawares for no fault of theirs. The dark night of January 19, 1990, shivering with cold, is remembered by all of them, as it was the worst nightmare for the Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley. Screaming from loud speakers and crowded streets was a message for KPs living in Kashmir, which said, ‘Ralive Tsaliv, Neti-Galiv’. (It meant that either convert to Islam or leave Kashmir and in alternative face death). Even after about 31 years, Kashmiri Pandits shiver remembering the night which forced them into exodus and a life of exile within their own country. Jehadi cum communal speeches from mosques were put on loud speakers meant for ‘Azan & Nimaz’, which would say ‘Yeti- Bani Pakistan, Bhatov Bhegeer the Bhatenen-San’, meaning there in that Kashmir will become a Pakistan without male Kashmiri Pandits, but including womenfolk of Kashmiri Pandits. The prominent prey in this regard among Kashmiri Pandits were the persons of immense repute, writers, community elders, legal luminaries, press and media personalities, government officers/officials who were on prominent positions in the state administration or were known prominently. The spurt in terrorism had actually given birth in 1989 itself, which was taken very lightly by Pandits of the valley, presuming that the brother hood and compassion between the majority community and Pandits had never received any serious jolt in the past, but it was a myth. On September 14, 1989 Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, who was a lawyer and a prominent leader of KPs, was murdered by the JKLF in Srinagar. Prominent lawyerPrem Nath Bhat was gunned down on 27th December-1989 in South Kashmir. Soon after Taploo’s death, Pt Nilkanth Ganjoo, an imminent judge who had sentenced Maqbul Bhat to death, was shot dead. On 29 April 1990, Sarwanand Kaul Premi, a veteran Kashmiri poet was gruesomely murdered. His young son was also killed gruesomely. Several intelligence operatives were assassinated, over the course of January. On 2nd February 1990, Satish Tikoo, a young Hindu Pandit social-worker was murdered near his own house in Habba Kadal. On 13 February 1990, Lassa Kaul, Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead. This is only a small tale of KP’s who were killed brutally, because of being Kashmiri Pandits. In March 1997, terrorists drag out seven Kashmiri Pandits from their houses in Sangrampora village and gunned them down. In January 1998, about 23 Kashmiri Pandits, including women and children were shot dead in cold blood in Wandhama Village. In March 2003, about 24 Kashmiri Pandits, including infants, brutally shot dead in Nadimarg Village. More than 4, 00,000 Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley and took refuge in Jammu and elsewhere, leaving their entire properties and belongings in the valley to the mercy of terrorists and Jehadis. One can understand the agony of this exodus along with travesty of having lost everything in life, like one’s property, one’s belongings, agricultural lands and orchards, commercial establishments, means to earn a living honorably and above all our own culture which was unique for all of us and was very much dear to us. More than 1,500 KPs were killed by terrorists when most of them after being maimed and tortured in most inhumane ways. About 145 Hindu shrines and temples were burnt down by the terrorists in Kashmir. This is only a small summary about the whole story of exodus. There are other horrifying tales too, which cannot be mentioned here because of the paucity of space. Whenever any government move for the rehabilitation of KP’s, became public, Muslim leadership across the political divide in Kashmir valley rejected the return of KPs to any kind of secured settlements in the valley. To quote one prominent political leader about the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits back in the valley, it was, on July 2016 that this political leader said that they (Kashmiri Pandits) cannot return to their original homes in the current atmosphere. This political leader likened their home coming to ‘throwing pigeons among cats’. This speaks enough about the communal passion and kinetic gritty of ismic mind of such a leader about the members of other community, particularly the Kashmiri Pandits. Should these political leaders recommending talks with Pakistan be reminded of the fact that more than six lakh Kashmiri Pandit families were reduced to devastation and thousand killed, when they were made to flee from Kashmir resulting in their mass exodus from Kashmir due to pan-Islamic terrorism fanned and abetted by Pakistan in Kashmir. Have they any sense of realization about this disaster of their fellow brothers the Kashmiri Pandits. They should stop giving such sermons of talking to Pakistan which is nothing but rubbing salt on the bleeding wounds of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. Left to these political leaders of Valley, they may have to seek approval from Pakistan for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits back to valley.
Kashmiri Pandits are highly obliged and thankful to Jammu and its people who accommodated them with warmth in Jammu, in that hour of their devastation, where they could find a first place of solace to exist and live. Even as on day most of the displaced KP’s are now living in Jammu and its surroundings with the passionate coverage of Jammu people. Now, the biggest task before the present government is to constitute a Commission of Enquiry for the mass genocide and exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the valley as suggested by Sh. Devender Rana, as also to find the circumstances under which the passing of the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill was scuttled and confined to stale records. If it could be done in the case of mass killings of our Sikh brothers during Sikh riots in 1984, why not for our genocide, mass killings and exodus. A judgment by the Delhi High Court in awarding life sentence for the riots of 1984, to one of the prominent political leaders of congress party after thirty years, should open a new chapter for the present government to constitute a commission of enquiry about genocide and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990-1991. The culprits of the mass killings of Sikhs are now cooling their heels in jails as per punishments given to them by the judicial courts.
(The author is a Chartered Consultant Civil Engineer, who has fascination for his Motherland-the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir).