kashmiri-pandits-sceptical-yet-hopeful

Ahead of the third phase of elections in North Kashmir, News Arena India's Editor-in-Chief, Naveen S Garewal interacts with Kashmiri Pandits in Baramulla leading to this ground report, exploring the expectations, demands, and sense of helplessness prevalent among the displaced community. The Kashmiri Pandits' long-standing issues again emerge, revealing a complex tapestry of hope, scepticism, and unfulfilled promises.

 

In the bustling town of Baramulla, the air is thick with election fervour. Campaign posters adorn walls and lamposts, while loudspeakers blare party slogans.

 

Yet, just a few kilometres away in the Khwajabagh Pandit Colony on the bank of River Jhelum, manned by the personnel of the Border Security Force, the atmosphere couldn't be more different. Here, the silence is broken only by the whispers of hope and trepidation among its residents - the Kashmiri Pandits.

 

 

This small colony, one of several scattered across North Kashmir, houses a community with a painful past. Forced to flee their ancestral homes in the Kashmir Valley between 1989 and 1990 when Islamic militants began targeting them, these original inhabitants of the region have spent over three decades in exile.

 

Rajinder Kaul, a government employee, who has braved all odds and even quite a highly paying job at a multinational,  now residing at Khwajabagh reflects on the upcoming elections: "Every vote counts, but do we count?" he questions, his eyes betraying a mixture of hope and scepticism.

 

The current assembly elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, have rekindled a glimmer of hope among the approximately 350,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits. Many are cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a comprehensive settlement package that could pave the way for their return to the Valley.

 

However, the reality on the ground paints a complex picture. Only a small fraction of the families that migrated have returned under various resettlement schemes. Those who did find themselves housed in segregated "migrant colonies", a stark reminder of their outsider status.

 

Renu Bhat, a young Kashmiri Pandit who has never seen her ancestral home in Handwara, shares her perspective: "We've heard stories of our beautiful houses in the Valley. Now, they're either dilapidated or vandalised. It's not just about returning; it's about rebuilding our lives from scratch."

 

The current housing situation for returning Pandits is far from adequate. With merely 6,000 residential quarters available in transit and seven permanent colonies across various districts in Kashmir that are at Sheikhpora, Budgam; Nutnussa, Kupwara; Vessu, Kulgam; Wandhama, Ganderbal; Veervan, Baramulla; Haal, Pulwama; and Oddna also in Ganderbal, but the demand far outstrips the supply.

 

Political parties are making grand promises as the final phase of voting approaches in North Kashmir, encompassing towns like Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara, Langate and Kupwara. The BJP has announced the Tika Lal Taploo Visthapit Punarvas Yojana for Pandit rehabilitation in its manifesto, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah vowing to ensure their dignified return to their native land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also reiterated the commitment to make a rehabilitation package mentioned by Shah.

 

Yet, the Kashmiri Pandits are well aware of their limited political leverage. With just over 3.5 lakh of the population, Kashmiri Pandits do not count much in terms of votes as their numbers are insufficient to sway political parties significantly.

 

Rakesh Pandita, a community leader in the Langate transit camp, sums up the sentiment: "We've been promised the moon for decades. What we need is concrete action - proper 3BHK houses, employment, security, and a consolidated settlement along the Jhelum. But with our small numbers, will our voices be heard loud enough?"

 

As the sun sets over Baramulla, casting long shadows on the rows of identical houses in the transit camps, the air is thick with anticipation and uncertainty. For the Kashmiri Pandits, these elections represent more than just a democratic exercise; they symbolise a tenuous thread of hope, connecting them to a home they were forced to abandon over three decades ago.

 

In towns like Kupwara, Bomai and Sopore, where Kashmiri Pandits once lived side by side with their Muslim neighbours, the absence of this community is palpable. The upcoming elections have brought these issues to the forefront, forcing candidates to address the complex challenge of rehabilitation and reconciliation.

 

As the final phase of voting approaches in North Kashmir in various towns including Baramulla, Sopore, Handwara, and Kupwara, the demands of the Kashmiri Pandit community have crystallised. They are calling for proper rehabilitation, including 3 BHK houses, employment opportunities, and enhanced security measures. More significantly, there's a growing call for a dedicated township or homeland along the Jhelum River - a consolidated place where Pandits can settle together, preserving their community ties and cultural heritage.

 

As the polling day for the third phase approaches in North Kashmir, the fate of the Kashmiri Pandits hangs in the balance. There is a mix of anticipation and hope, yet the Pandits lack confidence in political parties fulfilling their election promises. "It's a dead issue," says a well-respected Kashmiri journalist who now lives outside the valley.

 

"You only hear sporadic voices on occasions like elections. The rest of the time, the plight of Kashmiri Pandits fades into the background." This sentiment encapsulates the community's weariness with decades of unfulfilled promises and their scepticism about meaningful change emerging from these elections.