By Balraj Puri

An Article of may friendlate Mr. J.N. Zutshi on Kashmiri Panditsin Jammu, originally publishedin Kashmir Timeson 10 April 1982, was republished by it some days ago iwth an observation that it was still relevant. My reaction to it at that times is reproduced below as it, too, might have some relevance. Allowance may obviously be made of the fact that almost the entire community of KP’s had to leave Kashmir valley meanwhile and a large part of it has stayed in Jammu awaiting permanent settlement. Where and how they are settled and how long they have to stay in Jammu are yet moot questions. But I wrotein 1982 remains basically valid viz KP’s should retain their cultural identity and respect andidentity of Jammu and its ethnic groups.

KASHMIRI Pandits are indeed a remarkable community. They have played a role at the Stte and national levels for outof proportion to their miscroscopic number.

Of late their presence is being felt in Jammu also. Itis often a topicof discussion among local residents in private and in whishpers. I am glad Mr JN Zutshi, senior member of the community, has discussed itpublicly (Kashmir Times, 10 April 1982). Let me sya a word on the subject as a Jammuwalla.

I do not believe any community can behave in an entirely monolithic way. It invariably is divided into subgroups based on say, profession, politics, habitat, class etc, and might have a bettern common sense of belonging with the corresponding sub-groups of other communities than with those withinitself. Some amount of differentation is in fact good for the growth of individualmembers of the community. Andif a doctor, teacher, lawyer or a public man excels in his feidl, he wouldalso enrich the life of the whole region.

Mr Zutshi gives some noble pieces of advice to his community; e.. support democracy, secularism etc. His status in the communitymight entitle him to be didatic. But I would hestitate to impose a uniform political roleonthe community; which might imply a conolithic identity.

A little later. Mr Zutshi himself advises the members of hsi community "to discard their vain effort to matain a separate identity", I have strong reservations against this advice. If they efface their identity, they wouldhave no role as community and there would be no need fora discussion like this. Nor is it easy to efface away a community; much less a vital community like Kashmiri Pandits.

While I definitely see no advantage for the community or the region in a monolithic and separate political identity of the former, I would, in particular, like it to maintain and develop its culturel identity. I Kashmiri settlers in Jammu speak their own language among themselves and observe Shivratri or Nauroz, marriage rituals and other customs in their own way, it does not pose any threat to the interest of Jammu. I merely adds one more colour to the colourful personality of the region.

Jammu is not a melting pot society. It is a mosaic. Its strength lies in acceptance and tolerance of diversity. Any attempt to impose uniformity would threaten unity of the region. Kashmiri Pandits are richly endowed, on account of their historic experience, to develop an attitude of empathy and respect for not only the dominant Dogra culture but also for other cultural identities of the region and thus earn respect for themselves and contribute to unity the region.

I appreciate Mr Zutshi’s to "Kashmiri settlers to associate themselves fully with the demand of the peopleof the region to be given a fair deal" a, however, unable to agree with the deal that he suggests for the region.

Whatever be the spirit which he proposes that the po.. of Dy Chief Ministre should belong to Jammu, it should be unacceptable topeople of the region as a means for satisfying their aspirations. The proposal was made by the Gajendragadkar Commission under assumptions which are no longer valid. For it mkes sense only when the ruling party has a uniform has allover theState. Otherwise if party which is completely alienated in a region picks up from there a non-entity or a very unpopular person to instal him as a Deputy Chief Minister, the insult may be more ontolerable than the original injury.