Reply to the interview of Mirwaz Umar Farooq to Raising Sun news paper yesterday on February 6,2025 by Kundan Kashmiri, Senior KP leader and President Kashmiri Pandit Conference ( KPC )Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s interview in Rising Kashmir is yet another attempt to mislead, distort history, and evade accountability.

His words, though carefully crafted, fail to address the real concerns of Kashmiri Pandits who have suffered the worst form of persecution, ethnic cleansing, and displacement.

The pain of our community is not just an emotional grievance; it is a historical truth that cannot be erased with empty talk of “inclusivity” and “trust-building.”For over three decades, we have lived as exiles in our own country, waiting for justice, waiting for those responsible to be held accountable, and waiting for the return of our rightful place in Kashmir with dignity, security, and constitutional guarantees.

Mirwaiz talks about “intent,” but intent without action is meaningless. He says that the Muslim community is ready to welcome Kashmiri Pandits back, but this statement holds no weight when even today, minorities in Kashmir live under constant threat. If Kashmiri Pandits were truly welcome, why were Rahul Bhat, Rajni Bala, and others killed in targeted attacks?

Why do even those working under the PM’s employment package fear for their lives and demand relocation? Why does the idea of an exclusive settlement for Kashmiri Pandits face resistance when it is the only way to ensure our safety?Mirwaiz says he does not want a segregated environment with “No Entry” zones and locked gates.

But does he forget that Kashmiri Pandits were never the ones who chose to live separately? We were forced out by gun-wielding terrorists, by a radicalized mob that made it impossible for us to live in our own land. Even today, non-Muslims in Kashmir are forced to live in guarded camps because the environment remains unsafe.

If Mirwaiz truly believes in coexistence, why has he not spoken up for the immediate restoration of our illegally occupied properties, our looted homes, and our desecrated temples? Why has he not taken a stand against those who incited mobs from mosque loudspeakers in 1990, calling for the elimination of Kashmiri Pandits?He speaks of identifying land and facilitating it at subsidized rates.

This is an insult to our community. We do not need charity, nor do we need subsidies for land that is rightfully ours. Our homes were burned down, our orchards and properties were seized under duress, and even today, many of our ancestral lands remain occupied by illegal encroachers.

What we demand is the return of our properties or full compensation for what was taken from us. A just and honorable return means restitution, not a token offer of land as if we are outsiders being given a favor.Mirwaiz speaks of rebuilding trust, but trust cannot be rebuilt without justice.

Trust was destroyed when our people were murdered in their homes, when our women were raped, when our children were orphaned, when even those who had faith in their Muslim neighbors were betrayed overnight. Trust cannot be built by words alone; it requires action. If Mirwaiz truly wants to rebuild trust, let him start by publicly acknowledging that Kashmiri Pandits were victims of genocide.

Let him call for the arrest and punishment of those who killed innocent Hindus in massacres like Wandhama, Sangrampora, and Nadimarg. Let him take responsibility for the radicalization that led to the largest forced displacement of a community in independent India.

Until these steps are taken, his words are hollow and meaningless.Mirwaiz claims that security is his top concern. If that were true, why are even Kashmiri Muslims who oppose terrorism unsafe in the Valley? He could not protect his own father from being assassinated by extremists.

He could not save fellow separatist leaders like Abdul Gani Lone. How then does he expect Kashmiri Pandits to believe that he can guarantee our safety? Even today, innocent civilians are being targeted and killed in Kashmir.

An ex-army man, Mr. Wagay, was recently shot dead in Kulgam despite being a Muslim. If such killings continue, what security can Kashmiri Pandits expect? Security cannot be ensured by vague assurances; it requires institutional guarantees backed by the Indian Constitution.

When asked whether he recognizes Kashmiri Pandits as victims of genocide, Mirwaiz refused to use the word. This refusal itself exposes his dishonesty. The United Nations defines genocide as the systematic targeting and elimination of a community based on religion or ethnicity. This is exactly what happened to Kashmiri Pandits.

Thousands were killed, hundreds of thousands were displaced, our cultural and religious symbols were destroyed, and an entire population was wiped out from its land of Kashyap. To deny genocide is to continue that genocide in another form. It is an attempt to rewrite history and absolve those responsible for our suffering.

If Mirwaiz is truly sincere about reconciliation, he must first acknowledge the truth and accept that what happened to Kashmiri Pandits was not just suffering but a carefully orchestrated ethnic cleansing.Mirwaiz suggests that we should not let grievances define our future. Our past is not a mere grievance; it is a history of crime against humanity.

Who will compensate for the lives lost? Who will restore the 20,000 government jobs that were stolen from us when we were forced to flee? Who will return our properties, our businesses, our orchards? Who will compensate for the years lost, for the generations of Kashmiri Pandits who have grown up in exile, disconnected from their roots? These are not just grievances; they are demands for justice.

The past cannot be forgotten, and there can be no future unless the wrongs of the past are corrected.The displaced Kashmiri Pandit community will never compromise on its fundamental right to return to Kashmir on its own terms.

We categorically state that our rehabilitation must be in the form of a secured, exclusive settlement at the land of Kashyap Rishi with full constitutional rights and guarantees under the Indian Constitution. We must have all necessary infrastructure, full access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Our properties must be restored, or we must be given compensation equivalent to their present market value.

Those responsible for our massacres, targeted killings, loot, and arson must face justice. Those who incited communal hatred and preached violence must be held accountable.

The Kashmiri Pandits are not outsiders or mere migrants—we are the indigenous people of Kashmir, the first and primary stakeholders of its heritage and future.We are an integral part of the Indian nation and will never engage with those who advocate separatism, autonomy, or alignment with Pakistan. Kashmir is not a dispute.

Kashmir is an integral part of India, and its future lies only within the Indian constitutional framework. Mirwaiz must answer directly: Does he accept that Kashmir is an inseparable part of India? Will he openly declare that no solution exists outside of Indian sovereignty?

Will he say it in clear words, as all Kashmiri Pandits believe in their hearts?This is not just an emotional response; it is a statement of fact, a demand for justice, and a reminder that the world cannot ignore what happened to us.

The Kashmiri Pandit community has been patient, but our patience must not be mistaken for weakness. Our exile will not be permanent, nor will our history be erased.

The world must recognize that Kashmiri Pandits are not just victims but rightful claimants to their land of thier ancestors ,the Kashmir valley and we will return not as guests or as subjects of someone’s goodwill but as equal citizens with full rights and dignity.We reject vague reconciliatory gestures that lack commitment to justice.

We do not seek favors; we seek what is rightfully ours. Until our demands are met, no Kashmiri Pandit will be deceived by false narratives. Justice first, return second.

No compromise, no dialogue. [Kundan Kashmiri]President Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) –Mobile No 8802167955–Email kundankashmiri@gnail.com