Kashmiri Pandits to observe ‘no family celebrations’ on Jan 19, Sept 14

Marking 25 years of their “exile”, the displaced Kashmiri Pandits on Sunday resolved not to hold weddings or any other family celebrations on two days of the calendar as part of their efforts to “keep alive” the struggle for “homeland”.

Every September 14 and January 19 will be marked as “no celebration days”, Convener, Panun Kashmir, Agnishkekhar said at function.

“There would be no wedding, no birthdays, no celebrations in the family on these two days. We want the next generation to know the story and history of our struggle. We chose the two days to keep alive the memories of the community and to instill the exile consciousness among our next generation,” he said.

September 14 has already been adopted by the community as ‘Martyrs Day’, the day on which in 1989 separatists started the selective killings of Pandits in the Valley.

January 19 marks the beginning of the exodus of the community from Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of militancy there.

The resolution was passed during a day-long commemoration programme, ‘Kashmiri Pandits’ 25th Year in Exile’ held jointly here by four organisations — Panun Kashmir, Youth for Panun Kashmir, Kashmiri Samiti Delhi and Roots in Kashmir.

“We have suffered for so many years…We hope our prime minister will show courage in fulfilling the geo-political aspirations of the community,” Chairman, Panun Kashmir, Ajay Chrangu said.

Actor Anupam Kher, himself a Kashmiri Pandit, also briefly attended the programme though he was not scheduled to, organisers said.

Expressing “disappointment” at the plight of Kashmiri Pandits being “ignored by the world”, Kher encouraged the community to “come together and continue to raise genuine and difficult questions to ensure the world does not brush this issue under the carpet”.

Agnishekhar thanking the people of Jammu said, “they had opened their hearts and homes for the displaced community at the crucial period in their destiny”.

The programme also included skits on exile-related issues, poems and other artistic presentations. It also featured a session involving five generations of exiled Pandits, who spoke about their perceptions of the exile- related issues involving the community.