On 5 August 2019, the Central Government repealed Articles 370 and 35-A of the Constitution granting special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganized the state and divided it into two union territories, Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh.
From last one year, the displaced Kashmiri Pandit families living here started dreaming of their ‘return home’. But now after a long time of one year, they feeling cheated. They are now beginning to feel that they are able to stand only near the same window and do the work and they had only kept the illusion of walking towards the floor in their mind.
Dr Agnishekhar, senior leader of Panun Kashmir, a premier organization leading the Kashmiri Pandit community, said “While the central government took such a historic decision on 5 August 2019, on the other hand, for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits for the past one year They haven’t taken any initiative yet. “
According to Dr. Agnishekhar nothing has changed on the ground. He clearly said that the window which was open for us a year ago, we are standing still and looking forward to it.
Dr. Agnishekhar says that “all the changes that have taken place in the last one year have happened only superficially but still the inner mindset has not changed at all. What the previous governments used to do today is doing the same.”
Agnishekhar said, “We have been struggling under the flag of Panun Kashmir for the past 30 years, but the government has never called us for talks nor asked us about our roadmap.”
He said, “The government needs to worry about this. The government will have to agree in Parliament that there was a massacre of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley. Only then can the road to our home in the Kashmir Valley be made easier.”
“We will never be part of a policy that focuses only on the fact that the government has built four thousand flats with two rooms for bombing and allot them. We want to return to our home, to settle on our land again Want. We also want to return home for the future of our coming breeds, but we want all this on our own terms. “
Dr. Agnishekhar believes that since the central government has neutralized Article 370, he is hopeful that the government will approve the demand for rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community at one place.
He also said that the central government is not opposed to the displaced Kashmiri families, but even after a year has not solved any issue.
Rakesh Kaul said that “We took over in November 2018 and since then till today have demanded a housing and other security before the government. Till date these demands have not been implemented”.
Rakesh Kaul says that nothing has changed here for him in the last one year. He says, “So far questions are asked about our identity. Neither we believe someone with Jammu nor any Kashmiri. All our government documents are verified first in Kashmir Valley and then in Jammu. Article 370 The same regime was going on while living and even after withdrawing, it is the same on the ground.
Raising the issue of Domicile Certificate, Rakesh Kaul says, “We have been residents of Kashmir for centuries. Our ancestors had been living in Kashmir for centuries and today we have to be conniving to get an Apa Domicile Certificate.”
“I still take the risk and go to Kashmir Valley because the government has neither arranged for us to live nor security.”
He appealed to the Central Government that Kashmir Pandits should be prominently included in the Ayushman Bharat Scheme so that sick members of the family can be treated well.
He says, “I had a state subject, because of which I had a relationship with Jammu and Kashmir, but now it is no more. Now to get the Domicile Certificate, they have to confirm their identity again and go to the government offices Have to go round.
Ruban Ji Sapru, who has been working in the Kashmir Valley for more than 10 years, said “The decisions taken by the government in the last one year are in their right place but in such a large number, the displaced Kashmiri Pandit youth are still in Kashmir. Government working in the valley should listen to its problems.
