Expecting acceptance?

The valley is simmering with anger. Scenes of clashes being reported, as separatist leader Masarat Alam was arrested for making Pro Pakistan slogan and inciting masses for unrest.

Tear gas shelling, baton charges are the only potent tools in the hand of the Indian forces to use against the stone welding youths who use young kids as shields. Amidst all this, efforts are on to get Kashmiri Pandits back to the valley.

The ruling BJP in Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution pledging to ensure rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. Separatist are busy setting the  agenda for unrest and leadership is so absorbed with “rehabilitation of Pandits” that they have  forgotten that it amounts to deciding the future of over 62,000 families. Bringing back displaced Kashmiri Pandits has its ramification and displaced Kashmiri Pandits react to it. “This is not just a political issue it’s a matter of the future of 62000 families, composite colonies are the only way they can give us some freedom in our own state, but what will those composite colonies constitute of, will it be self sustained in nature or will those be just the night shelters which can become easy prey to majority to raid invade and devastate. That is to be seen,” said Sidharath Parimoo currently based at National Capital Region, Engineer by Qualification and presently serving as Vice President-Business Operation with a Leading Telecom Company of India, originally from Srinagar Kashmir.

Composite colonies for Pandits can be vulnerable,  feels Anita Sharma a technocrat from REC Srinagar turned professor working with a leading Technical University at Gurgoan, “Composite colonies is a bad idea as per me. The people will be more vulnerable to terrorist attacks then and assimilation of Pandits will be difficult. It will be like ghettos for them which even they will not want.”

Sidharath still carries the scars of that exodus. As a student of grade 12 in the year 1990, had to abort their abode in Srinagar in December 1989 when militancy was at its peak. “Daily a Pandit was targeted and killed in one or the other ‘mohalls’ (localities). On what grounds are they saying that the Hindus should return back to their own houses which are sold, occupied or destroyed,” Sidharath asked. “How can two communities born and brought up in different atmosphere, brought up on hatred for each other be expected to show acceptance?” he added. His reaction of this sort does stem from the “that horrific night of 19^th Jan 1990”. “Every mosque in the ‎valley (must be more than 100000) started playing freedom and pro pakistan slogans and threats to infidels- that’s us. Every person came out on streets as if they had got what they had desired “freedom from India”. Next day there was an exodus and almost 65000 families who left everything behind and moved towards Jammu,” reminisced Sidharath.

Creating a conducive environment could be a catalyst for Pandits to move to Kashmir. “Without ensuring a peaceful climate for Muslims and Pandits to live together in Kashmir, creating clusters for Pandits would amount to little more than further dividing the State on religious lines,” said Anita.

Changing stance by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister has exposed the mindset. Creating composite colonies for Pandits would mean having areas in the valley that can be called “Pro India”. “For Amarnath Yatra, separatists openly opposed the idea of creating shelters for pilgrims just because they didn’t want an inch of Kashmiri land to be given to the Trust, “added Siddarth.

“For us it will be a boon to be back to our soil, unless they come and bombard it. It’s clear nobody in our community will accept the offer of going back to our own mohalls. We don’t want our children who are born in free India-for many pundits independence is post 1990 era, when we finally moved out of cudgels of the separatists,” said Siddarth.

Siddarth and Anita truly represent the displaced Pandits, with heart yearning to be back. Their experiences demand them to be cautious; and many pundits would like not to go back just to let the BJP score brownie points.