Kashmiri Pandits: Between a rock and a hard place

Hindus and Muslims have both been killed by militants in Kashmir. There is also no doubt that Kashmiri Pandits were indeed targeted. The number of casualties among Pandits, 300 claimed by the Government or 600 as claimed by the Pandits themselves, is also by no means small. A much larger number chose or were forced to leave. The displacement did lead to a lot of suffering.

What is unfortunate, however, is the narrative that Muslims, not militants, killed the Hindus. It suited political parties and the media to paint the Hindus in Kashmir as victims. It was inconvenient for them to admit that the first civilian killed by militants was a Muslim, that a large number of Muslims were also killed.

It would be an exaggeration to say that Kashmiri Pandits were deliberately pushed out of the Valley. But undoubtedly they did not receive the kind of security they needed at the time. The then Governor Jagmohan made no attempt to stop the exodus. The Govt did not show any seriousness in stopping the exodus either. But to suggest that Jagmohan played no role is an extreme view just as to say that he alone was responsible for the exodus is another extreme view. The VP Singh Government at the Centre took it casually. The then Home Minister Mufti Md Sayeed and BJP, which was supporting the Govt., had their own agenda. Mufti Sahab wanted to become the CM and BJP all along wanted to use Kashmir to polarise the Hindus.

Farooq Abdullah, the chief minister, had seen Jagmohan earlier and made it clear that if Jagmohan was sent again, he would tender his resignation. When the state’s Chief Secretary apprised the HM, Mufti Sahab reacted by saying that Farooq Abdullah was prone to issuing threats but would not actually resign. But as soon as the appointment of Jagmohan was announced, Farooq Sahab resigned. Unfortunately, nobody in Kashmir at the time trusted Jagmohan.

Displaced Muslims were extended the same facilities as displaced Pandits and there was no discrimination on the basis of religion. It was hoped that houses and jobs would enable the displaced to return.

It is difficult to say with any confidence what Kashmiri Pandits want today. What is, however, clear is that people like Vivek Agnihotri and Ashok Pandit have little concern for Pandits in the Valley. Agnihotri is not a Kashmiri Pandit while Ashok Pandit settled outside Kashmir a long time ago. Anupam Kher also did not suffer from displacement. His father left the Valley in the 1960s to settle in Shimla.

While some Pandits act as pawns of the BJP and the RSS to generate distrust and hatred for Muslims, those Pandits who never left the Valley and those who seriously want to return, are the real sufferers, the real victims. They know that longer this charade continues, the more difficult will it become for them.

Not a solitary claim made by the Govt after August, 2019 appears to be correct. Those Kashmiris who used to speak of being a part of India, of the Indian Constitution and India’s liberal traditions have been silenced and marginalised. They have been diminished so that the Govt could muzzle Kashmiri leadership and their voice.

If the Government’s intention was to alienate Kashmiris, frustrate and humiliate them, then yes, it has been successful. Today it is hard to find a Kashmiri who is not sad or suffering. While this might have helped BJP win elections elsewhere, I cannot see anything positive in Kashmir.

Take delimitation. Since the Assembly represents the people, a basic principle is that higher population should have proportionately a higher number of seats in the Assembly. Jammu’s population is less than Kashmir but an attempt has been made to increase the number of seats in Jammu on the ground that areas of the two regions are similar! This is clearly unjust and the attempt is to somehow crush the self-esteem of the Kashmiris and reduce the dominance of the Valley in politics. That Kashmir is a pawn to do politics in the rest of the country is obvious. There are hoardings in Haryana I saw, welcoming the withdrawal of Article 370. How does it improve the lives of Haryanvis?

If the Government is serious about peace in Kashmir, it must hold a dialogue with all the stakeholders. Pandits can return only if there is peace in the Valley. There will be jobs only if there is peace. Which industrialist or entrepreneur would like to invest in a place where people are killed at will, where encounters can take place at any time and where bombs can explode anywhere?

Peace can be restored if there is a will. But trends suggest that there is no intention to restore peace. Elections will be conducted only when the party is convinced it will win. Such a government in power will neither represent the people nor will ever have their trust.

Sadly, BJP and the Union Government seem to be intent on keeping Kashmir on the boil. It can then be used to arouse sentiments in the rest of the country.

(An author, historian and YouTuber the writer has written a much-acclaimed book on Kashmir. Based on his talks with Ram Shiromani Shukla)

(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)