The recent outcry in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley is nothing more than an eyewash—a staged drama and political gimmick. KP,s and Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC), unequivocally rejects this insincere display.—– Kundan Kashmiri, President KPC

The recent discussion on the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is nothing but a drama and political gimmick. It is deeply disturbing that while some Assembly members chose to bring up the issue of Kashmiri Pandit return, they did so without consulting the victim community, its legitimate leadership, or addressing its core demands. Their superficial and hollow approach proves that they are not serious about resolving the crisis—they are merely using the issue to serve their own political interests.

While making noise about return, none of the Assembly members dared to raise the real and urgent issues of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, where to go and how to go. They deliberately ignored the demand for a single, secure, and permanent settlement for Kashmiri Pandits within Kashmir. They remained silent on the passage of a Genocide Bill to officially recognize and reverse the mass crimes committed against the community. They did not speak about the need for a judicial probe into the brutal massacres of Wandhama, Nadimarg, and other killings of innocent Pandits. They conveniently overlooked the full implementation of the Distress Sale Act to reclaim properties forcibly sold or illegally occupied. There was no discussion about reinstating the twenty thousand government jobs that were taken away from Kashmiri Pandits post-exodus and given to those with separatist links. None of them demanded an increase in monthly relief payments to provide a dignified living to relief-holder Pandits, nor did they address the return of encroached land and temples taken over by the state or individuals.

There was also a complete silence on the discriminatory actions taken against the Kashmiri Pandit community in government policies and recruitment processes. No one questioned how the reservations and benefits meant for minority communities have been cleverly diverted to appease the majority community under different pretexts. No one raised the issue of how thousands of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, despite their merit and qualifications, have been continuously denied opportunities in government jobs and institutions. Not a single legislator had the courage to demand a commission to investigate the unlawful occupation and destruction of Kashmiri Pandit homes, temples, shrines, and cremation grounds across the valley.

Instead of addressing these core concerns, they want to dictate the terms of our return, forcing displaced Kashmiri Pandits back to their previous locations in scattered and vulnerable conditions. Their plan is not aimed at ensuring our safety and dignity—it is a calculated move to make us live once again as a weak, oppressed, and suppressed community, surrounded by hostility and dependence. They want Kashmiri Pandits to return on their terms, not as empowered stakeholders but as a powerless minority, forced to serve their political agenda. This is nothing but an attempt to dilute and erase the rightful struggle of Kashmiri Pandits for justice, security, and a dignified existence in our homeland.

Not a single legislator spoke about these fundamental issues, yet they pretended to care about Kashmiri Pandits by randomly discussing their return. This selective and misleading approach exposes their duplicity and lack of genuine concern. How can political leaders decide the fate of the Kashmiri Pandit community without engaging with them? Who gave them the right to speak on behalf of a community they have never consulted? Any discussion about return must be structured, well-planned, and based on the demands of the Kashmiri Pandit community, not dictated by politicians who once justified or remained silent on our exodus.

The only viable return plan is one that ensures a single-location settlement that guarantees safety, security, and dignity. It must include full constitutional and legal safeguards for the community along with economic rehabilitation and political representation. Anything less is a deliberate deception meant to mislead the people and whitewash the historical injustices faced by Kashmiri Pandits.

It is evident that the so-called concern for Pandit return is a staged drama being played by all political parties together. These very leaders, who remained silent for decades on our genocide, destruction, and suffering, are now using our issue for their own political survival. Their opportunistic politics will not fool the Kashmiri Pandit community anymore.

The Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) and the entire displaced community categorically reject this political game of deceit. We demand a structured, dignified, and community-led return, not an arbitrary, forced, or politically motivated one. The Government of India must now decide—will it listen to the real victims, the Kashmiri Pandits, or will it allow political parties to continue their games of deception? The Kashmiri Pandit community demands justice, security, and a well-defined rehabilitation policy, not empty statements and staged Assembly debates. The community, after suffering for more than three decades in exile, refuses to be deceived any further. This political betrayal must end, and real action must begin. The Kashmiri Pandit community will no longer be used as a pawn in Kashmir’s dirty politics.

 [ Kundan Kashmiri]

Kashmir watcher & President Kashmiri Pandit Conference ( KPC)
Mobile No 8802167955
Email kundankashmiri@gnail.com