New Delhi, Jan 24: Prominent social activists, including Sunil Kaul and Sanjay Sapru, have strongly criticised Rouble Nagi, a member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), for her recent remarks on the return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) to the Valley.
During a press conference in Srinagar, Nagi claimed that KPs could return as there was “no negative attitude” toward them from local residents. In response, activists accused Nagi of either attempting to appease radical elements or being unaware of the circumstances behind the mass exodus of KPs in 1989-90.
“For over three decades, KPs have lived in exile due to lack of security, destroyed homes, and the absence of concrete rehabilitation plans. Her statement ignores this painful history. If there’s no hostility, why were Makhan Lal Bindroo and Rahul Bhatt brutally killed? These incidents reflect the grim realities KPs still face,” said Sunil Kaul.
Sanjay Sapru questioned how displaced KPs would return without proper planning, noting that many ancestral homes have been destroyed or sold under duress. “What is the roadmap for their safe return? Without addressing security and infrastructure, such statements are hollow and misleading,” he added.
The activists also criticized the lack of acknowledgment from Kashmiri leaders regarding the ethnic cleansing of KPs. “To this day, few political leaders in Kashmir admit that Pandits were forcibly driven out as part of a deliberate strategy orchestrated by Pakistan,” Koul emphasized.
Later, Kaul and Sapru asked Nagi to educate herself on the issue before making what they described as “irresponsible and dismissive” statements and first of declare KPs as minority community in India.
