First Killings
Once again the blood of Hindus has been spilt on the soil of Kashmir. This cycle has been going on since 1986ย when famousย Hakim of Tangwar Srikanth Pandita was murdered in mysterious circumstances. Why was inquiry officerย suddenly transferredย and at whose behest we were never told. Next ย followedย theย killingย of theย custodian of the ย historic Vicharnag shrine in Srinagar, Keshav Nath Pandita. He was shot dead by theย security guard posted at the shrine for his security. The protector becoming the killer.
Around same time ย two Kashmiri Pandits went missing and were never traced. One hailed from Bandipore town. He ย had gone to distribute invitation cards for his wedding and was probably kidnapped from ย Batmalooย Bus stand. Second one hailed from Habba Kadal area. He ย had left for his office as usual in the morning and never returned. We do not know if any inquiry was conducted into the twoย disappearances and ย what were its results. READ & WATCH: โYou Can Only Kill His Body, Not The Spiritโ: Daughter Of Slain Kashmiri Pandit ML Bindroo Dares Terrorists For Open Debate
These killings and disappearances were not isolated instancesย and were link in the chain that ย claimed the life of Makhan Lal Bindroo yesterday.Bindroo ย had stayed back in 1990 and had been very helpful to the local Muslims.But then kindness and humanity are not virtues when ethnic cleansing is ย onย the agenda. GOI ย took ย noย serious cognisance of the killings and disappearances in 1986. Probably ย ย itย would ย ย ย forget ย the killing of Makhan Lal Bindroo too after a ย routine ย condemnation and warning to the terrorists.
Ethnic cleansing
A normal state is one that apprehends security challenges to the state and earnestly devises appropriate strategies to provide safety to its citizens. The state behaviour was not normalย in 1980s. Ethnic cleansing of Pandit community in 1990ย becameย inevitable. Had Pandits dithered they would have been caught in a situation similar to Bosnia as noted well by Major General Arjun Ray in hisย well-researched ย book Kashmir Dairy.
After being forced out the attitude of successive governments were ย apathetic as well as inhuman. Directions were given to the ย newspapers to underplay ethnic cleansing with a perverted ย claim that it would disturb communal harmony in the country. Vested interests in political parties, media and academia engaged in denial over ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindusย and supported anti-nationalย political agendas on Kashmir.
The governmentย had failed to give protection to ย the Panditsย in Kashmir ย for continued stay. It also abdicated its role ย ย in securing their ย left over property. Inept political leadership that ruled the country was never serious about holistic and durable return of Kashmiri Hindus. This is the reason why community based leadership is not engaged on the issue nor any serious framework for return of Panditsย evolved. Creation of counterfeit groups and spurious statements that Pandits are divided are an ย extension of this flawed and dishonest approach.
Half-hearted Measures
Half-hearted measures are taken to enact a tokenist return. This only invites massacres and killings. Sangrampora, Nadimarg, Wandhama, Telwani,Gool etc. are just few instances. From time to time empty slogans of Kashmiriyat are raised to impress upon Panditsย that they can live as before ,notwithstandingย talibanisation of the localย society. This is to convey thatย theyย ย should forget about secured rehabilitation. Many senior BJP and RSSย leaders have been actively opposing secured rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus. It is they who put lives of Hindus to risk by exposing them to talibanised entrepreneurs.
Government’s policies have certainly made decisive assaults on terrorist infrastructure and their support structures. But nothing has changed so far as Kashmiri Hindus are concerned. Safe and secured return of Kashmiri Hindus is theย real ย test of complete normalcy.
Killings of Hindus in Kashmir have to stop. These are unacceptable. If Govt. is really interested in return of Hindusย it has to abandon half-hearted measures and deviseย a framework for sustainable return. This means involving community based leadership and abandon dismissive approach towards suggestions from Pandits.
Realย Challenge
Challenge in Kashmir is two-fold. One, the terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and international jihadi groups. Two, the ย terrorist mindset fed byย long incubation of communalism and Salafisation. It is the latter that continues to breed new crops ofย jihadis. Unless counter-insurgency measures factorise terrorist mindset in counter-insurgency strategies mere killings of terrorists will not deliver peace. Identifying processes through which jihadist mindset perpetuates is important to smash it.
Government takesย much neededย measures but fails to visualise backlash from terrorist entrepreneurs. It ย leaves soft targets undefended. This happened whenย proprietor of Krishna Dhaba was gunned down in heart of Srinagar after ย the decisionย on Domicile certificates. Killing of Bindroo followed strong directions by the Govt. to free Pandit property from encroachment. ย Recent killings are a failure of political as well as security strategies.
Government should send a strong message to terrorists and their sponsors that it will not abandon the measures meant for granting domicile to non-Kashmiris and ย facilitating return of Pandits.
It is time for Pandits to do plain-speaking and speak truth to power. Government should take three measures urgently. One, declare all sales of Pandit property since 1990 as distress sales. Two, take immediate measures for providing security to Hindus living in Kashmir. Three, open dialogue with community based leadership of Pandits to evolve modalities for creation of Panun Kashmir.
(Dr Ramesh Tamiri is a researcher on the history, politics and culture of Kashmir.)
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This document should open the eyes of Prime Minister, Home Minister and Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha. I am sure that unfortunately they too like all their predecessors have decided to continue with the ostrich policy of peacemeal measures and are busy in creating RSS base in Kashmir by telling the Kashmiri Muslim that RSS was not a communal organization, RSS cares equally for Muslims.In this way are creating bridges where there are no rivers.
Wish the New Indian will become the voice of scattered, shattered and divided KP Community . The only hope in these hard times ” the new indian”.
Government of India must acknowledge the fact of GENOCIDE not only in Kashmir but through out the country.
GENOCIDE BILL must be passed& implemented hence forth without losing time.
Article is brief and to the point ,covers the loose ends which have been left from time to time in handling problem of ethnic cleansing .Also covers the next steps required .
Himalayan blunder committed by the then PM of India , Pandit Nehru by making Art. 370 and A35 part of J&K law and handing over the State to Sheikh Abdullah without due constitutional process is the cause of present turmoil in J&K State.