Letters

Compensation for house

This is in reference to a news item “No Hindu family has returned to Valley” (DE 20-12-2001).

In this connection I would like to say that I along with my family returned to the Valley to my native village of District Pulwama on 18/10/2001 and stayed there in a rented room of one of my Muslim friends. My house has been damaged in 1995 during the period of militancy.

On 6th of June 2001, I appeared before the Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama requesting him to provide me financial assistance as well as full accommodation as I have returned to my native village six months before. I also requested him to release my compensation to reconstruct my damaged house as per plan approved by State and Central governments. The DC Pulwama assured me that you case will be given top priority and will be considered within days.

On 22/10/2001 I appeared before the Revenue Minister of the State requesting him about compensation and free accommodation. The minister marked my application to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir with the remarks that the case of the applicant may kindly be looked into.

On 15/11/2001 I again appeared before the worthy DC District Pulwama requesting him again to provide me financial assistance and shelter to live in as the house owner where I am residing along with my family directed me to leave the room immediately.

The DC Pulwama forwarded my application to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir requesting him that the returned migrant be paid financial assistance as per action plan duly sanctioned by the State and Central Government. Besides, DC Pulwama also directed the Tehsildar Pulwama to accommodate the returned migrant in the safe zone of the identified cluster and report compliance immediately. Since then neither tehsildar Pulwama took any action and nor he visited to my village. I am crying for mercy and requesting him and the government that I have returned to my native village in October 2001. I may be provided financial assistance to reconstruct my damaged house as mentioned in action plan approved by the State and Central government.

Mr Vidya Sagar Rao, Union Minister of State for home affairs informed the LoK Sabha that “No Hindu Family has returned to the Valley so far”. I wonder that there is absolutely. Besides it seems that the State government does not want the return of Migrants to the Valley. Statement given by the said Union Minister in the Lok Sabha is totally baseless and false. This also seems that the State government is keeping the migrants in darkness but God sees the truth but waits.”

Returned Migrant

Village Turkwangam

Distt. Pulwama J&K State

Canard against KPs

Sir,

Our attention has been drawn to the letter purported to have been written by the undersigned in “Daily Alsafa” dated 22/9/1990 published from Srinagar.

We would like to make it clear with full authority at our command, that we have never written such a nasty letter to the above paper. The letter is totally fake one with the sole purpose of maliging the Kashmiri Hindu migrants and causing friction.

It is for the first time since Independence that members of our community were brutally killed in a very systematic manner. Fearing total annihilation of the community at the hands of militant organisations with no protection from the Administration. The minority community were forced to leave their homes, hearths and the entire belongings worth crores of rupees, and migrate to other parts of the country. The few lortunates who could bring some immediate belongings in trucks had to pay huge amounts from Rs 2000/- and above. However, in this hour of turmoil, it was the Dogras of Jammu who open heartedly welcomed the hopless and dejected migrants gave shelter and provided the other required facilities. The Kashmiri Hindus are grateful to their Dogra brethren and will always remember that they have been raising their voices at appropriate forums for proper rehabilitation. After having done all this by the Jammuites it is beyond one’s imagination that some members of our community should have expressed their anger and resentment against Dogras and call them nicknames which is a totally false propaganda. This is only to denigrade our community in the eyes of Jammu people. Our homes are now burnt and those who had not migrated are being killed. The fake letter published in the daily is a conspiracy hatched by some militants organisations against the minority community in Kashmir with the sole purpose that this community should be driven from Jammu also. Had been so, photostat copies of the above newspaper of the date would not have been circulated in Jammu.

The above facts will certainly remove the misgivings, if any, of the people of Jammu.

Route of a community

Sir,

The microscopic minority of Kashmiri Pandits is facing the threat of total annihilation at the hands of self styled militants of the so-called Kashmir Liberation Front and the other numerous militant outfits spread throughout the length and the breadth of the Valley.

Their tall claims that they stand for all the communities residing in Kashmir have been falsified with the gunning down of Kashmiri Pandits working in both State and Central governments.

Whereas Lassa Kaul, the Director of Door Darshan Kashmir was gunned down, the Director of Radio Kashmir was not touched at all. At other places people belonging to this community were killed, wounded, beaten-up, humiliated, threatened, harassed and terrorised. These people are threatened with dire consequences and asked to leave forthwith. At various places their houses have been burgled and burnt down to ashes. If the KLF permits them to stay, the other gun totting people ask them to leave.

Generally threatening letters have been sent to all the prominent persons of the community to leave or face the consequences. There is no administration which could provide protection. The militants rule the roost. Nearly one and a half lac people have fled to Jammu, Amritsar, Delhi, Hardwar, Lucknow and other places in the plains for safety and security. leaving their movable and immovable properties worth billions of rupees.

What is their fault? What have they done? Is it the result of their being honest and true citizens of India? The people who founded the land (Kashyap Rishi, the founder of Kashmir may not be forgotten) are wandering in the plains in a helpless and hopeless condition. Though they were always discriminated against at each and every step; the treatment they bore patiently for the sake of the country, should not have made them suffer like this now.

Prior to this tragedy also, people belonging to this group migrated to the plains for safety and security. This is a sufficient proof to falsify the secular image of the State government administering justice. There are tragic examples in each and every field to prove this. The spectacle of misery and the wailing of women at the Gita Bhawan, Jammu sends shivers down the spine of persons, who visit it.

Who is responsible for all this? Don’t they deserve the protection from the Government? Why is this scare? Had there been any Government worth the name before the appointment of Mr Jagmohan as Governor?

Whereas the refugees deserve assistance at the hands of the society and the Government in this hour of distress and agony, their permanent rehabilitation is needed on priority basis Temporary assistance won’t solve the problem. It is high time that the authorities at the helm of affairs give a serious thought to it and rise to the occasion.

Before any political solution is thought of by holding talks with the militants the leaders of the refugees (not the leaders who head Pandit associations) be taken into confidence, so that a permanent HOMELAND is carved out in the Valley for these people, the safety and security of which should be guaranteed both by the State and the Central government. It may be done on the analogy of a Muslim District in Kerala. Unless a permanent Homeland is carved out in the Valley for this community, their migration will continue making them worse than beggars.

The refugees do not want to be at the mercy of the militants and majority community and suffer the hazards of becoming the scapegoats of Islamic rule in Kashmir. Why push them into the jaws of death? Will the tragic lot of these unfortunate people awaken the authorities from their deep slumber before it is too late to mend? Nothing less of a homeland will solve the grave problem.

Who will answer?

Sir,

As a teacher I have been teaching the students of various classes. I lost my identity while teaching and I had become a part of the students. There was not a single house in Illaqa Phaq, Srinagar where I did not force the students to move forward for a better future. My students gave me a lot of respect and love for which I shall remain thankful throughout my life.

With this thing in view I and my family members did not migrate. On May 26 at about mid-night there was knock at outdoor. We opened the window and came to know there were two young men with weapons. They swore in the name of God and Prophet that we will not be touched. We opened the door and after many questions and answers we thought ourselves to be safe. They also told us to leave for Jammu for some time. On their way back they rewarded me for my dedication and unselfish work of life with a bullet and this time I am helplessly struggling with my wound and fractured leg. Where are my students whose number is in thousands? Where are the people who I loved? My eyes are full of tears when I think what I have done and what I got. The young men also swore that I was not a CID. Then why they shot at me? I want the answer.

Harwan

Woeful tale

Sir,

With reference to the columns of the Daily Excelsior (6/7/1990) regarding migration to Jammu due to atrocities of militants in the Valley, the following lines are submitted for drawing an inference by the concerned.

My husband, now late Shri Makhan Lal Raina, senior Medical Assistant (Loonar, District Budgam) did not return home on June 22. My frantic search for him landed me at the police station Nai Sarak, Habakadal, Srinagar, Kashmir. The concerned Police officer after registering my FIR in this behalf, advised me to seek details the next day, whence he would apprise of the response of the Police signal sent to control room.

My second visit on June 24 proved to be futile and I was directed by the Police office to personally seek details from the control-room, which I instantaneously did. Despite my misery I was subject to irrelevant questioning, discourtesy and rudeness which promoted me to contact Army control-room.

By the assistance from that end I alongwith my daughter was carried to Budgam Police Station, in a J&K Police jeep guarded by three JKAP jawans. I reported to SHO Budgam about my misfortunate but to my misery and misfortune the officer used such a language which is unbearable to a human being. He (SHO) said ‘Kya Goya Agar Makhan Lal Katal Goy, Toye Tee Rooziv Tayar”. (What happened if Makhan Lal is murdered, you too be ready for the same). He continued and said that he (Makhan Lal) was cremated by the Police as an unidentified body, when one person had given the evidence that the deceased was one ML Raina, once worked in Raithan as Medical Assistant, but later on that unknown person under the police pressure had withdrawn his statement. To my bad-luck BMO Block too did not identify my husband under whome he (my husband) was working since eight to nine years at different places. It is reported that my husband was dragged out from the dispensary where he was posted, by the cruel and unhuman militants.

The concerned SHO Budgam refused to handover the belongings of my husband and said he was carrying a chit from the Hizbul-Mujahideens the outlawed militant body. When I saw that myself and my daughter was unsafe before. SHO Budgam and his Agencies, I fled from the spot and left the Valley in a grief and sorrow.

I want to draw the attention of the government administration to the fact, that what were the reasons of killing of my husband.

1) Was it his fault, that he was a Kashmiri Pandit?

2) Was it his fault that he was attending his duties daily?

3) Was it his fault, that he didn’t dis-obey the orders of the government?

4) Was it his fault, that he love of his job and motherland?

Wd/o Late Makhan Lal Raina

R/o 20/1 Kharyar,

Habakadal, Srinagar

Presently at Jammu