Kashmiri migrants living like exiles in their own home State have been directed by the officials of the Mehbooba Mufti-led alliance Government to fill ‘consent’ forms before undertaking an annual pilgrimage to attend Mela Kheer Bhawani (Tulmalla),Ganderbal.

However, the Minister for Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction, Javaid Mustafa Mir, on Monday issued a statement claiming no orders from the Government for registration of pilgrims for visiting Mela Kheer Bhawani have been issued.

He said taking a serious note of the issuance of the notice without any administrative approval, the Government has initiated disciplinary action against the Deputy Commissioner Relief (Migrants) Kuldeep Krishen Sidha and has ordered his immediate attachment.

The Minister clarified that the Kashmiri Pandits are State subjects and do not need any kind of registration for the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela. ‘There is no need for registration of Kashmiri Pandits for visiting the Mela,’ he said.

Every year thousands of Kashmiri pandit settled outside the State and from Jammu region travel to Kashmir valley to attend this festival associated with the Hindu Goddess Ragnya Devi.

It is celebrated annually in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

According to the Notice issued by the Office of Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrant) in Jammu, ‘All Kashmir migrants desirous of undertaking pilgrimage to Mata Khir Bhawani Tulmulla (Ganderbal) / Tikker (Kupwara)/ Manzgam (Kulgam), Mattan (Anantnag) during the current financial year of the ensuing Zeistha Ashthami which falls on 20-06-2018 are requested to provide their consent on the following format to the concerned zonal officer/camp commandant by or before 20-05-2018’.

The notice sparked off fresh controversy with several prominent Kashmiri pandit organisations voicing their concern over the manner in which the sensitive issue has been handled by the alliance Government in the State. ‘We have been attending Mela Kheer Bhawani even after migrating from Kashmir but in the last over two decades we have never been asked to fill in such consent forms. We really don't know the real motive behind the move’, several Kashmiri pandits told The Pioneer while sharing their anger over the move.

As sharp reactions poured in on the social media pages and other platforms the State Government immediately went in to damage control mode. The said officer was attached by the Govt and a high-level inquiry committee was constituted to investigate the issuance of a notice by the Deputy Commissioner Relief (Migrants) in this regard.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 | Mohit Kandhari | Jammu