Minorities’ migration from Valley was encouraged

SRINAGAR: If the events of May 21 were bad, what happened earlier in terms of mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits including officials from the Valley was no better. It was strange case of administration instead of stepping forward to provide protection to minorities encouraged them to migrate by providing transport and other help.

The worst was the case with respect of government staff. As if the move to allow the government staff to leave for Jammu was not bad enough even the men in uniform were allowed to go. It was strange that while the local Muslim employees were being asked to report for duty as they were a part of the essential services an employee from the minority community was being allowed to migrate to Jammu or in some cases even to Delhi and draw his salary there.

Even if one could make a case for civilian employees who were living in different areas and came under tremendous pressure following the threat issued by Hajbe-Mujahid, the militant wing of the Jamait Islami, there could be no justification for allowing mass migration of men and officers in uniform.

It was strange that men in uniform who are to protect the ordinary citizens were allowed to leave Kashmir in mass because they could not protect themselves from militants even though they were armed. An officer on duty at airport told this reporter how come the girls serving in central forces were in services in Srinagar but the local police-woman have been allowed to migrate in the interest of security.

This led to question by different sections who asked how come the security of people serving in Central forces was not so important as compared to locals. The ground situation today is that all police officers or men belonging to the minority community today are out of Valley and few still remaining in senior positions are devising ways to leave at the first opportunity.

This has also led to a strange situation where the banks are not being allowed to function because the minority community employees who formed nearly ninty per cent of the total strength are not prepared to come back and fresh recruitment can not take place till the fate of old employees is settled. The same applies to postal services, telegraph office and offices of Union government including the electronic media.

Even the State government is finding it difficult to run the schools even though it had been announced long ago that all educational institutions will reopen with shifting of offices to Srinagar. The schools in cities are yet to become operational, but the schools in countryside are reporting near normal attendance. The studies are not possible because a large number of teachers belonging to minority have migrated and are not returning.

The same position holds good with respect of technical staff in medical institutions and some allied offices. The result is that there is a growing demand that either the existing employees should come back or new hands be recruited in their places. In either case the solution of the problem will not be easy.

Handling of Kashmiri Pandit migrant problem

First priority should be close all Migrant Camps in Jammu and make arrangements for their return to the Valley wherever they came from before migration. This task could best be achieved by using good offices of the All India Kashmir Samaj whose President is Mr J.N. Koul who is also President of the S.O.S. Its General Secretary is Mr. M.L. Kaul, the Secretary Mr L.C. Kaul.

One senior government officer may be detailed to liaise with the All India Kashmir Samaj. There is quite a number of K.P. migrants in Jammu who are permanent officers of the J&K government drawing their salaries and benefits but are not being utilised for government duties which is a loss of government funds as well as their employment of government.

This could be the first important and realistic approach to the K.P. migrant returning to their homes.

It has to be borne in mind that those K.P. migrants who have since got established and having got good jobs cannot be expected to return to the Valley. It is strongly felt that All India Kashmir Samaj as already suggests with its Samajs in all parts the country could also be very usefully utilised in determining and recommending as to what could be best done in this task. We have to face this problem realistically and most practically. All that has been said above is for migrants after 1988/89.

But those who migrated in 1947 or soon after cannot be expected to return to the Valley. They are spread all over the country and fully established with their housed established with their housed and employment.

All the KP political parties talk politically and not practically. It is rather sad to say not one government officer has ever visited any migrant camp and on the other hand delegations of foreign governments of USA/UK have reached to see the camps. Those migrants who are not in a position to return should be paid compensation for their base and home as well as their houses which are occupied by militants or allotted by them to others.

It is also to be noted that there is already a large number of highly qualified Muslim young men and girls without employment and no one helps them. No doubt there are no potential avenues and openings for them in the Industries which do not exist. This reminds me of my talks with Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in Kolkata on his visit in 1982 or so. He felt with numerical strength of 2 to 3% of KPs, their chances and scope of absorption in government services could not be more than 2 to 3%. He strongly advised the members of the Kashmir Sabha whose president, I happened to be at that time and who met him. He advised KP men should find employment outside State as they could find opportunity to do so. He felt this should earn money and then visit Kashmir to spend their holiday sand there. In fact in the get together in the telco house in Kolkata he offered he could allot 200 to 300 kanals of land at Pakhribal down Ramji temple in Hari Parbhat.

He offered he would donate one lakh per family and the government would help to built the multi storey buildings at the cost of the migrants who had not their houses in the Valley and were settled outside could own such falts which they or their relations and friends visiting Kashmir would be able to use them. He told us he would ask Chief Engineer Mr N.N. Dhar to handle the community project on his return and that he would correspond with me. It was so tragic Sheikh Sahib passed away soon after his return to Srinagar.