KPs Need A Daily Newspaper

Surinder Bali    

Revered Sher-e-Kashmir Pandit Hargopal Koul and Pandit Tara Chand Bulbul (Kashyap Bandho ji) towering. gracious dignified and community-oriented leaders must be watching our collective activities from the heaven and feeling uncomfortable on our many faults, failings, foibles and share of mistakes which require our immediate attention Year 1990 was the most tragic and the worst period for our peace loving community, having a glorious past history of five thousand years, which had to leave its homes and hearths after witnessing the collapse of the official apparatus and dreadful face of armed Jehadis hell bent on erasing all the traces of the vibrant Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley.

At the initial stage of displacement from the valley in 1990, the Kashmiri Pandits were categorised in three segments. First, those Kashmiri Pandits who had earlier migrated during the Mughal period and settled in many northern states except a few, most of which had no link with the Valley-born community members The second category was those community members, who after watching the discriminatory attitude of the successive governments in respect of employment and scanty-educational avenues etc, settled outside Kashmir during the post- independence period but their frequent visits to Kashmir kept them in close contact with relatives and friends, but the younger generation lost its mother tongue. The third and the last category was the influx of Kashmiri Pandits, both from rural and urban areas, who were driven out by the forces aided by the Islamic Jihadi powerhouse, thus dismantling the age-old brotherhood and composite culture of Kashmir.

Entangled in chaos and confusion prevalent during early. 1990 the entire community, lacking charismatic leadership, unavailability of community daily newspaper, absence of en masse protest gatherings and scarcity of proper guidance, landed at the doors of official relief agency and till date the process has shaped into a peculiar situation which we may tag as R-4 [Relief, Ration, Reservation and Rehabilitation (fractured)]. Though Relief, Ration, Reservation and Rehabilitation is still needed as life-saving for the needy. deserving, ailing, old, invalid, widows and militancy- victim members of our community yet excessive attachment with R-4 is being watched by one and all and fingers are being pointed towards us as a teasing tool. Had there been a community newspaper, the whole subject matter could have been discussed and debated intensively to arrive at a conclusion beneficial to the entire community.

During early years of displacement, many community writers, professors, doctors and social climbers came on the central stage and began to shower their feelings and thoughts in all newspapers because the burning Kashmir and the plight of displaced population was the cynosure of all readers. Months and years rolled and the news and burning issues regarding Kashmiri Pandit refugees now find their place on the last page of the newspapers.

Two community monthly journals published from New Delhi contribute much for the well being of the suffering community but reality and honesty demands a daily newspaper for the entire community which has much scope for acceptance to shape our future. Because monthly journal and daily newspapers are two different journalistic presentations having their own limitations and horizons.

In December, 2011, a community team, headed by Shri Romesh Hangloo, started a community radio station Radio Sharda 90.4 FM from Jammu. The entire KP community, as well as Kashmiri intelligentsia, complimented Shri Hangloo and his team for the said commendable job, thus connecting the community by Kashmiri music, language and culture. The said initiative is a right step at the right time.

History is a witness that Kashmiri Pandits produced a galaxy of journalists of high repute and calibre starting from Pandit Prem Nath Kanna, Pandit Prem Nath Bazaz, Pandit Kashyap Bandho Ji, Shri Nand Lal Wattal and many more. Our Martand was always in our heart and soul. English newspaper Jyoti, published from Shivala Mandir, Chotta Bazaar, Srinagar, also served the community in its best-possible way with dedication and missionary zeal. Our community members still pay their gratitude and respect to all writers and intellectuals who by their writings guided the community during the publication period of these community newspapers.

Kashmiri Samiti Delhi, and All India Kashmir Samaj, New Delhi, are publishing their monthly journals Koshur Samachar & Naad under the able guidance of Shri Jagan Nath Dhar and Shri A.N. Koul Sahib. Both the journals are presenting best of the best printing material but what about the rest. For that a daily vibrant newspaper is a must, to reach every segment of the community. Let the community members, in close coordination exercises, objectively and honestly, think for a daily newspaper for the community. May God bless us in this regard.

(The writer lives in Shiv Nagar, Jammu.)

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Courtesy:- Surinder Bali and  April 2012, Koshur Samachar