“All they did was Exploit ‘Kashmiri Pandits’ for their Political Benefit” – Kashmiri Pandit Organizations to BJP

Convener of Panun Kashmir (PK), Dr. Agnishekhar, a right-wing Kashmiri Hindu organization, in a video statement, called for a segregated homeland, and said that the BJP – led government is ‘misleading the nation for its political benefits’.

“The information given by Union Home Minister, Amit Shah regarding the distribution of relief in Parliament yesterday among Kashmiri migrants is totally incorrect, as only 22,000 displaced families are getting relief – instead of 44,000 as stated by him,” he is seen stating in the video.

Amit Shah had claimed to ‘redeem their pledge’ of the last numerous years, by rehabilitating the displaced community.

“We’ve given 3,000 jobs to the Pandits and are on-board with our plans of resettling them by 2022. Did you ever give the same in the last 70 years?” he said in the video.

Dr. Agnishekhar, said that Indian Government has ‘failed to address this complex and genuine issue’. He also termed that BJP’s government’s present moves of rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits as ‘deceiving and obsolete’.

Agnishekhar said that Kashmiri Pandits, who welcomed the move of the abrogation of the Article 370, are still living in pre – abrogated Kashmir.

He said that taking 6,000 [KP migrant] employees to [the] valley and settling them in clusters will not solve the problem of lakhs of displaced Pandits living in exile. These 6,000 jobs were not approved by BJP, but by the previous Congress Government; so they [BJP] should not take credit for the same.

Agnishekhar also claimed that it was ‘due to his efforts’ that the issue was taken ‘in three round table conferences with the then-government after which the package was announced.

Blaming BJP for the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, Agnishekhar said that it was under the Janta Dal-led V.P. Singh’s government at the center, ‘supported by the BJP’, that Pandits were ‘forced to leave the valley’.

“Amit Shah had said some land had been acquired by the GoI to resettle around 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits under the employment package, calling it BJP’s sankalp (oath). What can be more shameful than this? Is this your promise? Are there just 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits in the world? The numbers are in lakhs. Don’t play with our emotions. I also want to remind them that the said package was brought in by the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh, and not BJP. You’re a failed Home Minister, Mr. Shah,” he said.

“The party [BJP] did not muster the guts to withdraw support to his [VP Singh’s] government.” he was quoted saying.

“Pandits, owing to their miseries, thought BJP will do something for them. But I want to warn PM Modi and Amit Shah that if such conduct persists, we [KPs] will condemn your party worldwide,” he concluded

Another Kashmiri Pandit group – Jagati Tenement Committee, Soan Kashmir Front – which has been protesting for months to demand hike in monthly cash relief of relief holders – condemned Amit Shah’s claims in the parliament yesterday about Kashmir Pandits and expressed anguish over having used the name of Pandits for political ‘mileage’.

Shadi Lal Pandita, front leader of Jagati Tenement Committee Soan Kashmir Front, in a video that surfaced on Twitter was quoted saying:

“We have been in turmoil for the last 31 years, and they [BJP] claim that it was the Congress government who withdrew Kashmiri Pandits. But at that time, it was V.P. Singh’s government which had support from the BJP. Governor Jagmohan belonged to the BJP-RSS, who at the time when Pandits were dragged out of their homes, watched the spectacle unfold. The BJP-RSS and Shiv Sena would tell us Pandits to come to Jammu, saying that we will provide Pandits with ration and blankets. They begged the world in our name and gave us nothing but broken articles of use,” he said.

Pandita called out Amit Shah’s lies and said that it was under BJP’s government that the prices skyrocketed and the relief fund was already being provided by the government before them, and that the sum is too small to look after families and provide for the needs.

He also said the claimed number of 6000 jobs had already been provided by the prior government of Congress.

“What did they [BJP] give us? Nothing! All they did was drag our name into politics, and exploit our name and miseries to come to power. It is these Kashmir Pandits, who will now throw you off your throne. It is our promise that we won’t let this government come to power again,” Pandita added.