The infamous 19th of January has arrived yet again, and as usual, it adds another year to the anniversary of the mass exodus of the Kashmiri pandits. Years have passed and the pandits continue to stay in exile. They live as refugees in their own country.
Kashmiri pandits are members of the brahmin groups of Hindus who live in the Kashmir region. Many people converted to Islam as a result of militant intervention in the valley.
Jammu & Kashmir liberation Front (JKLF) is a militant, terrorist, separatist organisation. It is backed by people from both sides of the border who want Kashmir to be the part of Pakistan.
With political and religious objectives, it started recruiting Muslim youngsters from the valley to fight against the so-called kafirs, or infidels.
On January 19, 1990, throughout the valley, announcements were made from speakers. These announcements were made for none other than the pandits. The slogan of “ralive, tsaliv ya galive” reverberated in the valley.
It was asking pandits to convert to Islam; or leave Kashmir, but to leave the women behind; or stay and die. Armed JKLF militants were marching on the streets. Thousands marched on the streets and shouted slogans like: “death to India!” and “death to kafirs!“.
Many pandits escaped the valley the same night, but those who stayed behind: their Houses were burnt, women were raped, and children slaughtered. All this happened for the sake of “jihad” (struggle or fight).
Despite the fact that lakhs of pandits became refugees in their own nation, this issue was not given significant attention. The United Nations didn’t act with alacrity.
Their reports should have noted what happened to the pandits in Kashmir as one of the most unsafe things that has happened in the valley’s history. No-one blacklisted the region.
32 years have passed since this spine-chilling exodus and Kashmiri pandits still feel unwelcome in their own valley. Hindus who remain there continue to face death threats.
The wounds of injustice on both sides have not yet healed. The search for justice is far from over.