National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that Kashmiri Pandits are always welcome to return to their homes in the Valley, even as he expressed doubts over whether the displaced community would opt for a permanent return after having rebuilt their lives elsewhere.
His remarks came as Kashmiri Pandits observed the 36th anniversary of their exodus from Kashmir in Jammu, reiterating demands for a comprehensive policy for their return and rehabilitation. January 19 is marked by the community as ‘holocaust day’, commemorating their forced migration from the Valley in 1990 following threats and killings by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day party programme, Abdullah said many Kashmiri Pandit families never left the Valley and continue to live peacefully in their villages.
“When will they return? Who is stopping them? No one is preventing them. They should come back, as it is their home,” he said, responding to questions about protests by displaced Pandits.
However, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister noted that a permanent return may be difficult as many members of the community are now settled across the country, with their children pursuing education and employment.
“They have grown older, many need medical care, and their children are studying in schools, colleges and universities. They may visit, but I don’t think they will return to live there permanently,” Abdullah said.
In a related development, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the National Conference leadership has consistently supported the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, asserting that “Kashmir is incomplete without them.”
Meanwhile, members of the community staged protests at several locations in Jammu, pressing for their long-pending demands, including a separate homeland within the Valley. Hundreds of protesters under the banner of ‘Youth 4 Panun Kashmir’ blocked the Jammu–Srinagar national highway near the Jagti camp on Sunday evening, also demanding a parliamentary bill to formally recognise the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits.
Responding to these demands, Abdullah said he had earlier assured the community that houses would be constructed for them and necessary support provided. However, he added that after the fall of his government, the implementation of such proposals rests with the Central government.
Reiterating his stand, Abdullah said the return of Kashmiri Pandits would help restore the Valley’s traditional brotherhood and hospitality, expressing hope that the Centre would take an early decision on their rehabilitation.
General Secretary of the All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), P K Raina, said the community has been waiting for justice for the past 36 years.
“We have gathered to reiterate our demand for a policy that ensures our dignified return and rehabilitation in our homeland. We also paid tributes to those who lost their lives in terrorist attacks,” he said.
