Separatists reach out to Kashmiri Pandits

Maintaining their stance against creation of separate townships for Kashmiri pandits in the valley, separatist leaders are all set to hold deliberations with the Pandit community for their return to their homeland.
Senior Hurriyat (JK) leader, Shabir Shah is going for a three-day visit to Jammu while Hurriyat (M) is also sending a delegation to meet the leaders of Pandit community.
Shah, who heads President of Democratic Freedom Party, said he would leave for a three-day visit to Jammu on April 25 to held deliberations with Kashmiri Pandit community.
“I will talk to all stakeholders of Kashmiri pandit community to find out their apprehensions and try to persuade them to return to their homeland to live with their Muslim brethren,” he said.
Shah said rightwing parties like RSS and BJP are trying to divide Kashmir on religious lines “and pro-freedom leaders would make every effort to foil the plans of the communal elements”.
“We won’t allow fringe elements to play communal politics on Kashmir. I hope that my visit will be fruitful and I manage to dispel unnecessary fears regarding return of Kashmiri Pandits to Valley,” Shah said.
Some days back, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he would be sending a delegation to meet the representatives of Pandit community to understand their point of view regarding their return to Valley.
“A delegation of ulemas will get in touch with the leaders of the Pandit community to understand their needs, apprehensions and concerns regarding their return to the Valley,” Mirwaiz had said.
Spokesperson of Hurriyat (M), Shahid-ul-Islam said in its executive meeting on Thursday the party would decide the dates on which the first delegation will be sent to meet the leaders of Kashmiri pandits.
“We are meeting in couple of days where the party will decide on the dates and members that will be part of the delegation to meet Kashmiri pandits,” Shahid said.
He said they would try to engage the leadership of Kashmiri pandits in a “real discussion” and persuade them to return to their homeland “without falling in the trap of RSS-BJP for creating a separate township”.
Last week, JKLF chairman Yasin Malik had also appealed Kashmiri pandits to discuss their problems with the civil society of Kashmir on their return to the valley.
“Let them consult the civil society and express their problems of living alongside the Muslims here. We are ready to listen and sort out all their apprehensions,” Malik had said.
The announcement of separate clusters for Pandits was opposed by separatist as well as civil society groups, terming it as Israeli tactic to create settlements.