Jammu, June 14: A conclave of Kashmiri Pandit representative activists was held Saturday at Jammu to discuss and debate the current socio-political scenario impacting the fate and future of the displaced community of Kashmir. The conclave was called by Panun Kashmir and it was presided over by A K Raina, senior activist of the displaced community.
Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, senior BJP and KP leader was the special guest on the occasion. While Virender Raina, President, Panun Kashmir presented the background perspective of the important meeting, Advocate Kashmiri Lal Bhat, senior activist of the community presented the vote of thanks. Kamal Bagati, General Secretary (organisation), Panun Kashmir conducted the proceedings of the conclave. Those among others who participated in the conclave included Hiralal Bhat, BJP & KP leader, Sundrilal Kaul, Secretary-PNBMT, P.K.Bhan, Satish Kissoo, Ashok Chrungoo, Virender Kaul, Vijay Qazi, Desh Rattan, Naveen Handoo, Sameer Bhat, Ravinder Punjabi, B.L.Garyali, Adv. Kanwal Krishen Bhat and Surinder Kaul. Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo in his address dwelt upon the four-fold doctrine for return and resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandit community in Kashmir. He said: “The Kashmiri Pandit community will neither forget nor forgive what was done to them in the Kashmir valley. Genocide of Hindus in Kashmir is a non-negotiable issue and the NHRC has put it on record that ‘acts akin to genocide were committed against the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir….and a genocide type design may exist in the minds and utterances of the militants and terrorists in Kashmir against the Kashmiri Pandits’. There can be no reconciliation without proper justice and punishment to the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity and there can also be no return and resettlement without dignity and without homeland”.
H L Bhat highlighted the importance of the four historic resolutions of the Kashmiri Pandit community passed during the last 35 years of exile. “All these four resolutions put our demand for homeland in perspective and exhibited our socio-political resolve that had an inherent deep consensus within the community living in exile”. Virender Raina made it amply clear that the Kashmiri Pandit community is a great supporter of the present dispensation at the centre under the leadership of PM Modi but the displaced community of Kashmir has also certain expectations from the government. These expectations include overdue enhancement of relief, a solution to the issues of relief holders struggling in Delhi, consideration of Temples and Shrines Bill and addressing the woes of the PM package employees who have a number of concerns that need redressal.
AK Raina in his concluding speech said that there can be no doubt that the Kashmiri Pandit community did show great resilience and courage to withstand the difficult situation for the last over three decades. The negative campaign against the community’s interests by a negligible few will die its natural death as has happened with all such misadventures in the past. He appealed for a joint action by the members of the community to live up to the resolve made from time to time to take ahead the existential struggle in exile.
