Congress warns BJP not to play politics with Kashmiri Pandits'' tragedy but who is going to make sure justice in Jammu and Kashmir
Preetam Sohani
Aug. 30, 2005

Who will really take care of the Kashmiri Pandits'' tragedy as the terrorist Islamic Jihadists in the name of Azadi made them extinct species from Kashmir? It is time for India to stand tall and tell the Jihadists and Pakistan to back off.

According to media reports, Turning tables on the BJP telling it not to "play politics with Kashmiri Pandits'' tragedy" just to malign the government, Home Minister Shivraj Patil chided it on Monday that the BJP-led NDA was in power for six years and hence "we are entitled and people will like to know what it did for these suffering migrant families while in the government."

He normally avoids harsh remarks that can provoke protests but Patil said he was forced to give a "political reply" in the Lok Sabha since the BJP's deputy leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra tried to put all blame on the present government for the Pandits'' misery instead of suggesting how best they can be helped. "We will certainly consider any reasonable suggestions to help them further," he said.

Malhotra reacted sharply to Patil putting the previous NDA government in the dock on the Kashmiri Pandit issue as he jumped to feet and led a NDA walkout saying that they were not satisfied with the Home Minister's response.

Pointing out Malhotra's own assertion that the Kashmiri Pandits in thousands had to leave the valley back in 1989 and 1990, Patil said it is the UPA Government which is alive to their problem and had provided Rs 32 crores in 2004-05 and Rs 30 crores in 2005-06 for relief and rehabilitation of these migrants. The Rs 24,000-crore package for J&K given by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh would also throw up many job opportunities for them in the planned development he said.

In response to a call-attention motion of Malhotra, the Home Minister also denied any move to withdraw facilities to the Kashmiri Pandit migrants living in camps since 1989-90 in Jammu and Delhi to force them to return to the valley.

"The facilities cannot be stopped. They cannot be forced to return. We shall be happy if they go back to their homes and fields and businesses but no decision has been taken to forcibly send them back to the valley," Patil said while denying Malhotra's charge. Malhotra had also asserted that there can be no solution of the Kashmir problem keeping aside the Kashmiri Pandits. He wanted the government to get vacated the "encroachments" of militants and government establishments over the properties left behind by the Pandits while fleeing from the valley in 1989 and 1990 and place in the hands of the commissioners as evacuees'' property. Let a Tribunal be appointed to probe the large-scale illegal acquisition of the pandits'' families, the BJP leader demanded. In a strong rebuttal, the Home Minister, however, affirmed that it was wrong to say that the government was keeping aside the Pandits while talking to Hurriyat and other separatists. The Government is ready to talk to anybody coming forward and Patil said, he had met the Pandits'' representatives many times in Delhi and in Jammu and Kashmir and he was also in correspondence with them. "Whosoever comes to talk, we are ready to talk and that applies to the Kashmiri Pandits as well."

Patil also pointed out a J&K law that makes illegal any transfer of houses or properties of the migrants in the valley and assured that the government will ensure payment for any properties acquired by the state government or the Centre. Individuals can even go to court if their properties are snatched away without due compensation, he said.

Congress member M L Sharma from Jammu challenged Prof. Malhotra's "baseless" charge that the militants have occupied all Hindu temples in the valley just to "communalise" the situation. He threw a challenge to resign as an MP if Malhotra gives names of temples seized by the militants.

"No temple in the valley is in the possession of militants," Sharma added. Malhotra had demanded an ordinance to recover some 2000 temples allegedly taken over by the militants.

The BJP deputy leader had also tried to ridicule the government's "healing touch" policy towards the surrendered militants giving them compensation of Rs 3 lakhs and providing jobs while doing little for the Kashmiri Pandits who were their victim. The Home Minister dubbed the comparision between the militants and the Kashmiri Pandits as "wrong." He said: "They are different. Some had become militants because they had no jobs. We do not want them (surrendered militants) to return to militancy and hence given employment."

In a detailed two-page reply, Patil also pointed out what all the government was doing for 55,476 registered Kashmiri migrant families -34,088 in Jammu, 19,338 in Delhi and 2,050 in other states.

"Central and State Governments have taken all possible measures to ensure that the needy migrant families are provided with a reasonable level of substance and support," Patil said adding monthly cash relief of Rs 3,000 per family and basic ration was being provided to 14,869 families in Jammu.

Similarly, 4,100 Kashmiri migrant families residing in Delhi were being given Rs 3,200 a month as cash relief for non-camp migrants and Rs 2,400 per family along with basic ration for those living in camps, he said.

Malhotra had demanded that this be raised to Rs 5,000 a month.

MORE ARTICLES >>