*Calls for a plan for dignified return
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: As the Kashmiri Pandit (KP) community marks the 35th anniversary of their exodus, January 19 is observed nationwide as a day of remembrance. The community is advocating for justice and a clear strategy for their safe and respectful return to their homeland. They fled the Kashmir Valley in 1990 amid a surge in Pakistan-backed terrorism, targeted killings, and threats, prompting a mass evacuation to Jammu and other regions of India.
Various organizations such as Panun Kashmir, Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS), and Kashmir Pandit Sabha (KPS) organized distinct events to pay tribute to the victims and reaffirm their commitment to the community’s cause.
The Youth 4 Panun commemorated the Day with a large assembly at Jagti Township. The event titled “Chalo Jagti: Nishkasan Ka Dard” united Kashmiri Pandits, community leaders, youth, and cultural figures in a demonstration of solidarity and resolve. The Jagti Declaration, presented by Y4PK president Vithal Chowdhary, reiterated the community’s commitment to the Margdarshan Resolution 1991, advocating for the formation of a Union Territory to facilitate the safe and dignified return of KPs to their native land. It called for formal acknowledgment of the genocide, underscoring the need for justice, accountability, and remembrance.
The declaration also outlined efforts to safeguard Kashmiri Pandit culture through arts and literature, while promoting worldwide awareness of the community’s plight through outreach and partnerships. The event concluded with Dr. Kshama Kaul, along with Chandra, Kailash Mehra Sadhu, and other dignitaries, launching the Re-claimathon, a symbolic initiative aimed at inspiring efforts to reclaim the community’s homeland and preserve its cultural heritage.
A collaborative event hosted by Panun Kashmir and Youth 4 Panun Kashmir included a striking photo exhibition at the Jagti settlement. The exhibition depicted the adversities encountered by the community during their displacement, featuring evocative images that captured life in temporary accommodations following their enforced migration from the Valley.
“This day serves as a solemn reminder of our suffering, resilience, and unwavering quest for justice,” remarked a spokesperson from Panun Kashmir. The organization also reiterated its demand for the establishment of a separate homeland within Kashmir as a vital step towards ensuring community safety and cultural preservation.
All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS), under the leadership of president Ravinder Pandita, met with Minister of State in the PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in New Delhi today to present a memorandum on behalf of the KP community on Exodus Day. During the discussion, AIKS unveiled a special edition of Naad, the organization’s publication, containing narratives about the Kashmiri Pandit exodus and highlighted the horrors of January 19, 1990, through placards stating “We still exist.” Topics of discussion included the AIKS case against the state (OWP No. 477/2016), which involves the Migrants Property Act and Distress Sale Act, awaiting adjudication due to the absence of a Solicitor General in J&K UT.
Ravinder Pandita, alongside officials including general secretary Sunil Koul, joint general secretary Ashish Zutshi, and advisor Sanjay Sapru, addressed both immediate and long-term welfare issues for the community. The delegation stressed the challenges faced by the displaced populace and emphasized the necessity of prioritizing their rehabilitation in the valley alongside addressing urgent concerns. Dr. Jitendra Singh acknowledged the resilience of the KP community in reconstructing their lives across the country post-exodus.
The All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) and Shree Sanatan Dharam Yuvak Sabha (SSDYS) convened a community gathering at Muthi Camp (Jammu) to commemorate Holocaust Day. The event, led by Sabha head Moti Lal Malla, attracted hundreds of community members, leaders, and activists to reflect on the atrocities endured by KPs during their forced exodus, highlighted by brutal killings, rapes, arson, and ethnic cleansing. A moving homage was paid to community martyrs, paired with heartfelt speeches and slogans expressing decades of pain endured in exile.
Attendees reiterated their demands for a dignified return and rehabilitation on their terms, alongside calls for the investigation and prosecution of those accountable for the genocide and displacement of seven lakh KPs. The event concluded with participants marching toward Janipur Chowk, chanting slogans for justice while stressing the need for accountability and recognition of their struggles.
Separately, ASKPC conducted a protest demonstration against the apathetic stance of successive Governments at its office complex in Durga Nagar (Jammu) on Holocaust Day. During the gathering, ASKPC president R. K. Wangnoo stated that 35 years have elapsed, yet the Governments at both State and Central levels remain as indifferent spectators, failing to address the permanent settlement of the displaced community.
Kashmiri Samiti Delhi (KSD) observed the Day with a protest at the Arya Samaj Temple premises in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi. The sorrowful memories of January 19, 1990, were revisited with both pain and determination. KSD president Sumeer Chrungoo expressed deep frustration over the lack of substantial action to alleviate the community’s plight. He urged acknowledgment of the genocide, accountability for the perpetrators, and a strategic plan for safe and dignified repatriation to their homeland.
The Kashmiri Khatri Hindu Maha Sabha held meetings today at Jagti, Bohri, and Durga Nagar in Jammu to mark Holocaust Day and commemorate the 35th anniversary of the mass exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley. Chairman Ramesh Chander Mahajan and members dedicated a two-minute silence to honor the martyrs.
The Sabha called on the Government to swiftly implement plans for the rehabilitation and permanent settlement of seven lakh displaced Kashmiri Hindus in a distinct union region. Additionally, they advocated for the enactment of the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Bill and the formation of a tribunal to investigate the exodus and hold anti-national actors accountable.
Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) marked “Holocaust Day” today as Black Day. During the event, Kundan Kashmiri (president of KPC) and other leaders voiced their discontent over the fact that, despite 36 years of living in exile, there seems to be no resolution in sight. They urged the Union Government to establish a tribunal to investigate the exodus and the killings of KPs in 1990. Concern was also voiced regarding the ongoing issues faced by displaced KP community youth, PM package employees, and relief claimants.
Sashekt Nari Samelan hosted an event in Gurgaon in remembrance of the Holocaust Day of 1990, honoring the struggles and resilience of the Kashmiri Pandit community, which brought together influential voices advocating for their return to the Kashmir Valley.
At the event, senior advocate and Kashmiri Pandit leader Ashok Bhan appealed for the return of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community to their ancestral homeland in the Kashmir Valley. Raj Nehru urged the Union Government and the J&K LG administration to prioritize the restoration of the physical and religious infrastructure of shrines and endowments left behind by the community.
Prominent female speakers, including Archana Dhar, Prof (Dr) Amita Malla Watal, Tanishka Kher, Ousha Kher, Dr. Surbi Goyal, and Sonal Naik, highlighted the pressing need for the community to reconnect with their roots.
