The swarming of the banquet hall in Broadway by the Kashmiri Journalists was quite in contrast with their initial reluctance to attend the press conference. They were informed about the press conference to be held at 10.30 AM only an hour before. Their prompt response was not only the acknowledgment of their eagerness to listen to the Pandit view but also their sensitivity about the security constraints which Panun Kashmir delegation had to consider while addressing the press conference in Kashmir valley. The day before on 30th May, 2001, Panun Kashmir delegation had formally met Mr. KC Pant the interlocutor of Government of India to conduct the dialogue process with various shades of opinion and leadership in Jammu and Kashmir.

  But it was both the boldness and frankness with which Panun Kashmir delegation comprising of Dr Ajay Chrungoo Chairman, Prof MK Teng Head of the Advisory Committee and Mr. Kuldeep Raina General Secretary chose to address their maiden press conference in Kashmir valley, which almost shocked the journalists.

  “We feel privileged that all of you chose to attend this occasion at a short notice. You know it very well that we have never endorsed the so-called ceasefire diplomacy initiated by Government of India in Jammu and Kashmir state. In fact we have rejected it in unambiguous terms. We came to talk to Mr KC Pant only when GoI has called off its unilateral ceasefire. Our coming here had two man objectives. One to state in clear terms that the displaced Kashmiri Hindus do not consider their displacement as a fiat accompli and are determined to return to Kashmir on the terms which vindicate their honour and ensure their survival. Secondly to let it be known that if their is any discussion on the future of Kashmir then Kashmiri Pandits are as important as any other citizen of Kashmir. If Mr KC Pant has chosen to speak to people of Kashmir on its own soil then how can Kashmiri Pandits shy away from such a discussion,” were the opening remarks of Dr Ajay Chrungoo during the press conference. “Yesterday we met Mr KC Pant. By coincidence or by destiny  yesterday also was the day of Zeisht Ashtami--which constitutes the second most important festival of Kashmiri Hindus. It is the day of our deity ‘Ragya’ and the folk-lore of Kashmir tells us that thousands of years ago just before the battle of Ramayana the Divine mother Ragya travelled from extreme South of India and installed itself in Kashmir’. The lore is only the testimony of Pan-Indian identity of Kashmir which is being destroyed now in the name of Islam,” Dr Ajay said.

  The opening remarks set the tone of deliberations which lasted for one and a half hour. Panun Kashmir leaders answered a barrage of questions.

  Do you consider Kashmir as a dispute and accession complete? To this question Prof MK Teng remarked, “Kashmir is not a dispute and accession is not only complete legally but is also final. People of Kashmir have to realise that Jammu and Kashmir state was never included in the partition plan as no princely state was. Partition was confined to British India and not  to the princely states. After partition both the Government of India and Pakistan constituted ministeries for the integration and accession of states. Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India as per the instrument of accession  framed by India which was perfectly legal, complete and final.”

  But what about the wishes of people of the state and the promise of right of self determination. The question answer session from here on was primarily addressed by Dr Ajay Chrungoo.  “Question of right of self determination or wishes of the people needs to be addressed in a broader perspectives. The entire partition plan was in fact the denial of right of self determination to the entire people of undivided India. Kashmiri Muslim separatist leadership have squarely failed to explain why should Kashmiri Muslim alone constitute the priveleged social group to be allowed to exercise the right of self-determination and that too in a way and at a time which suits them. Kashmiris have many times exercised their right of choice through democratic elections. If Jammu and Kashmir qualifies for such a special treatment simply beacuse it is the only Muslim majority state in India then we are opening up the Muslim question once again. In that case we would like to know the views of Muslims of India and in fact the entire Indian nation should be asked to express their opinion on the subject”.

  Can UN resolutions on Kashmir be wished away? “UN resolutions on Kashmir have become irrelevant long back when Pakistan failed to withdraw its forces from PoK and subsequently sceded some portions of Kashmir to China. Even the secretary general of UNO holds this view now. The real question which Kashmiris should ask themselves is about their concept of freedom. Which are the fundamental freedoms recognized internationally which have been denied to them? In fact Kashmiris have more freedom than any people in the world. Kashmir terrorism is not a freedom struggle. It is in fact a perverted struggle which has destroyed freedom in Kashmir. Religious cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits is a testimony of this fact”.

  In your way what is the real problem in Kashmir? “The problem of Kashmir is the problem of a split psyche. Separatists want freedom for themselves but by denying the same to others. The separatists have declared that their struggle is to establish the rule of Millat and yet believe that they can guarantee religious freedom. Millat and Secularism are two contradictory poles. How can a Talabinised mindset guarantee a democratic order? Kashmir separatists have nourished a communal identity of Kashmiris and yet want the world to recognise that theirs is not a religious war. They have compartmentalised Kashmir history. The pre Mughal period is the period of darkness and the post Mughal period is the period of slavery. And yet they lay claim that their identity is 5000 years old? The problem in Kashmir is no different than the problem in Afghanistan.”

  “By demanding a separate homeland aren’t you following the same communal line?”  “We have asked for our rehabilitation in Kashmir valley in an area north and east of river Jhelum which will be having a Union Territory status with a free and unfettered flow of Indian Constitution. Such a dispensation does not recognise religion in any way as a denominator for devolution of political power. Panun Kashmir is the only secular demand in the present milieu of Kashmir. We consider autonomy, independence or accession to Pakistan as ideologically the same propositions which legitimize two nation theory. Panun Kashmir is the demand of those Kashmiris who reject two nation concept. We think our identity can only be ensured when Indian Constitution flows freely and without restrictions. Whosoever believes in the letter and spirit of Indian Constitution can live in Panun Kashmir.

  Do you think all Muslims are Communal? “We cannot make such a sweeping generalisation. We talk about communalisation of the social milieu. Who expelled us? It was JKLF, which claims now to represent a secular face that started the religious cleansing campaign in Kashmir valley. Who burnt and destroyed our shrines and houses? How could the social milieu of Kashmir withstand the orgy of loot and plunder which was let loose on our abandoned homes and temples? Pandit localities have been burnt whole hog. Habakadal in Srinagar is a testimony of this fact. Please visit the temples of Kathlishivar and Raghunath Mandir in the heart of Srinagar. For years our house hold goods were on sale in Hazuri Bagh.” Who allowed it?

  What about the killings of innocent Muslims in custody? “We condemn the killing of any innocent by anybody. But we do not have a reliable instrumentality in Kashmir valley to sit on judgement? We also believe that the worst authoritarian regime is still better than a situation when terrorist regimes take control of the society.”

  What about your return? “We will return to our homeland as we have demanded in our Margdarshan resolve. We will  not return on the goodwill of Muslims. We will also not subscribe to a set up where we have to live on the goodwill of Muslims. Indian Muslims do not live in India on the goodwill of Hindus. They live by their own right. We will also live in Kashmir by our own right.”

  The press conference had to be concluded despite the inclination of the journalists to interact more because of paucity of time. The Panun Kashmir delegation had to leave for Jammu by the first flight. Towards the conclusion one of the Muslim employees in Broadway remarked, “for the first time in last ten years somebody has come here and spoken truth without mincing words. I wish it happens more frequently.” Panun Kashmir delegation left for Jammu.

  Their meeting with KC Pant a day before appeared to them less eventful than their interactions with the Kashmir based media. They had reached Srinagar on 30th May 2001 and immediately rushed to the Chashmashahi guest house where there meeting with Mr KC Pant was scheduled at 4 PM. However, they had to wait for more than an hour as Mr Pant had not yet returned from Leh. The Panun Kashmir delegation was immediately rushed in to meet Mr Pant after his arrival. Smt Ila Pant was also accompanying him.

  Dr Ajay Chrungoo introduced his team to Mr Pant which comprised besides him Dr MK Teng and Mr Kuldeep Raina. The opening statement was made by Prof MK Teng. “Sir we may not be truthful if we hide our embarrassment. Your entire mission emanates from the reality that there is a section of people of Kashmir which is waging war against India. We constitute those people of Kashmir who are with India in its political as well as civilisational content. That we have to talk to you on Kashmir at par with secessionists has embarrassed us severely.”

  Prof Teng then explained to Mr Pant the genesis of the present crisis. He cautioned against any attempt to triviliase the ground realities in the state. “What we are witnessing in Jammu and Kashmir is a civilisational conflict. Muslim power is waging a war against India in its endeavour to push towards east. The issue is not Kashmir but dangerous militarization of pan-Islamic fundamentalism. Kashmir is the central spur of Northern Frontier of India. The armed secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir constitutes a determined bid of Muslim power to have a sway over the Sanskrit Himalayas. If that happens the warm Himalayan hinterland of India will be at the mercy of pan-Islamism”.

  Dr Teng also emphasized that the positions of greater autonomy, independence or accession to Pakistan were not ideologically incompatible positions. They had a complimentary relationship. “We have three genres of separatism in Kashmir. Slogans of greater autonomy, independence or merger with Pakistan represent. These genres in essence represent the rejection of pluralistic existence”.

  Dr Ajay Chrungoo urged Mr KC Pant to understand the essence of the Panun Kashmir demand of rehabilitation of 7 lac Kashmir Hindus in the Kashmir valley in an area North and East of river Jhelum with a constitutional status of a Union Territory. He stressed for the need to see the Panun Kashmir demand in the light of wider civilisational and strategic imperatives for the nation. “It is the first strategic response to the nefarious Dixon Plan,” Dr Ajay stressed.

  Dr Ajay also told Mr KC Pant that Kashmiri Hindus were targeted by fundamentalist forces because they were seen as a civilisational frontier as well as a crucial political factor which could form the basis for democratisation and secularisation of Kashmiri milieu. Kashmiri Hindus became the frontline victims of the war which has now spilled over to Jammu and even Ladakh. He further told Mr Pant that relegation of the issue of religious cleansing as a local aberration has only harmed national interests.

  The Panun Kashmir delegation told Mr KC Pant that Kashmiri Hindus will return to Valley only in a dispensation as envisaged by the Margdarshan resolution. They also apprised him of the fall out of the government rhetoric on return. “Such posturings have only triggered massacres and Government of India cannot escape their responsibility.” Panun Kashmir stressed that Kashmiri Social milieu stood thoroughly communalized and unless the process is reversed there will be no permanent peace. They also told Pant that Pandits will return to Valley as a matter of their right and not on the goodwill of Muslims.

  Mr Pant was also apprised that Pandits were conscious of the fact that it was Mr GB Pant the illustrious father of MR KC Pant who rejected the option of plebiscite and brought India out of a trap which had almost strangulated India’s options in the state. The meeting of Panun Kashmir leaders with MR KC Pant lasted for about 75 minutes. Mr Pant concluded the meeting by assuring the delegation that the interaction will continue in future as well.

  The Pant meeting with Kashmiri Pandit delegation carried a symbolic message which was cryptically brought out by the caption of the pro-separatist local daily-- ‘India talks to India on the soil of Kashmir.’ The meeting in the real sense constituted the first statement in recent times reflecting that within the Kashmiri population there is a significant section which opposes secessionism and does not assume any conflict between the Kashmiri identity and the constitutional dispensation of India.
 

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