Resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits in valley political issue: Panun Kashmir
Jammu: The central government does not have a clear road map for the resettlement of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir Valley, their homeland, an organisation representing the community claimed on Monday.
Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee from Kashmir to Jammu and to other parts of the country in the early 90s after the outbreak of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The government needs to sit with the representatives of the community and develop a clear plan for its return and resettlement in the Valley, Panun Kashmir president Virender Raina said.
“Resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir is a political issue and has to be settled politically keeping in view the geo-political aspirations of the community,” he said in a statement here.
Raina said if employment in Kashmir has to be on the basis of resettlement, then the government has to give jobs to 44,000 displaced families from the region.
“The Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package though important for the youth of the community has to be differentiated from the permanent resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandit community in Kashmir,” he said.
“The employment package is a livelihood measure meant for the immediate survival of the community and needs to be differentiated from return and resettlement on a permanent basis,” Raina said.
On a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament regarding financial assistance to displaced Kashmiri Pandits, Raina said only 22,000 displaced families were taking relief from the government and this includes other minority groups from Kashmir, and Muslims.
Replying to the discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha on Saturday, the home minister said “we are providing Rs 13,000 per month cash assistance to those 44,000 displaced Kashmiri families who have ‘Rahat’ Cards. The statement issued in the parliament is factually incorrect,” Raina claimed. (PTI)
Press Trust of India
