Displaced Kashmiri Pandits hail MHA’s advisory board proposal

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed the suggestion of the Ministry of Home Affairs to the state government to constitute an advisory board to look into the grievances of the displaced community members. They have sought a comprehensive plan and involvement of community representatives for its success.
Living in exile for 28 years, Pandits feel neglected by the successive government. They claim the governments failed to implement any major plan to rehabilitate and resettle 3.5 lakh community members.
Setting up of a welfare board to look after the issues of displaced militancy victims is a long pending demand of the community.
During the NC-Congress coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah, an apex committee for the Pandits was created in 2009, but it failed to take any positive policy decisions to implement the Rs 1,618-crore PM Rehabilitation package. The committee comprised over 40 members, but it was mostly seen as a ‘rubber-stamp’ body.
“We welcome the directive. In fact, our organisation had demanded a welfare board back in 2005 when Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister. We hope the state will initiate steps in this regard,” said Vinod Pandit, chairman, All-Party Migrant Coordination Committee.
In 2005, several prominent Pandit intellectuals came up with ‘Path For Survival’, a document in which the demand was discussed threadbare, giving a blueprint for its implementation and rationale.
Arun Kandroo, senior advocate, recalled that the demand had been raised with the state and Central governments several times between 2005-2017 and now there was a need to form a board. “It will help end corruption and also allow the community members to take up the issue directly with the government. It is the need of the hour as several plans initiated for the community have not been implemented,” Kandroo said.
“It is an important directive from the Centre, but it is necessary that stakeholders are consulted and the basic blueprint is shared with the community representatives,” said Dr TK Bhat, general secretary, All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, on January 24, had advised the state government to establish an advisory board for the displaced Pandits and West Pakistan, Chamb and PoK refugees. It had also advised a new surrender policy for militants to allow their integration in the mainstream.

Previous post From Pune to Kashmir, ‘Mystery Jihadi’ woman’s unexplained journey
Next post Have no faith in Govt ordered probe, A justice-delaying exercise