Perspective and Perception - Forgotten Kashmiri Pandit Martyrs

Er P L Khushu

(Should the harrowing night of 19 January-1990 be forgotten by the Kashmiri Pandits of the valley, when they were warned to flee from Kashmir, through the red signals from the loud speakers of religious mosques, in the name of Islamic Jihad, followed by selective mass massacre of Kashmiri Pandits, through the bullets of the terrorists.)

Such a move by the present dispensation of Lieutenant Governor, would have been more appreciable had the thousands of Kashmin Pandit martyrs of 1989 and onwards who became the ducked targets of militants, been also paid such a homage and tributes. Who will mourn their martyrdom, who were more reputed, legendary and the personalities of great repute and intellectual acumen? Probably none, as it needs a persuasion at the level of the bureaucracy of the administration of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sh Sarwanand Koul Premi and his son who were martyred during militancy are not the lone martyrs of militancy in Kashmir. though their martyrdom is highly recognized by every Kashmiri Pandit, there are hundreds of such KP martyrs who were mercilessly killed by the terrorists during that period.

Kashmiri Pandit community as a whole is thankful and obliged to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha who paid tributes to legendary poet and freedom fighter Sarwanand Koul Premi on his death anniversary just a few days back. It is to be remembered here, that Sarwanand Koul Premi was killed by terrorists, on May 01, 1990. It is to be appreciated by the Kashmiri Pandit community as a whole that Sarwanand Koul Premi was conferred with lifetime achievement award posthumously, by J&K Government in 2022 A Higher Secondary School in his village Sof-Shali (Saft- Shaleshwar), Anantnag, has also been named after him. His name was also included in the list of Unsung Heroes of the freedom movement under Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav

Should the harrowing night of 19" January-1990, be forgotten by the Kashmiri Pandits of the valley, when they were warned to flee from Kashmir through the red signals from the loud speakers of religious mosques. in the name of Islamic Jihad followed by selective mass massacre of Kashmiri Pandits through the bullets of the terrorists. The dark night of January 19, 1990, shivering with cold. is remembered by all of them, as it was the worst nightmare for the Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley Screaming from loud speakers and crowded streets was a message for KP's living in Kashmir, which said, Ralive Tsaliu, Neti-Galie (It meant that either convert to Islam or leave Kashmir or otherwise face death) Even after about 32 years, Kashmiri Pandits shiver remembering the night which forced them into exodus and a life of exile within their own country.

On 14 September 1989, Pandit Tika Lal Taploo, who was a prominent leader of KP's was murdered by the JKLF in Srinagar Prominent lawyer Sh. Prem Nath Bhat from Anantnag Kashmir, was gunned down on 27 December 1989 in South Kashmir.

Soon after Taploo's death, Pt. Nilkanth Ganjoo, an imminent judge who had sentenced Maqbul Bhat to death, was shot dead.

On 2 February 1990, Satish Tikoo, a young Hindu Pandit social-worker was murdered near his own house in Habba Kadal.

On 13 February 1990. Lassa Kaul. Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead This is only a small tale of KP's who were killed brutally, because of being Kashmiri Pandits. In March 1997, terrorists dragged out seven Kashmiri Pandits from their houses in Sangrampur village and gunned them down. In January 1998, about 23 Kashmiri Pandits including women and children, shot in cold blood in Wandhama Village.

In March 2003, about 24 Kashmiri Pandits, including infants, brutally shot dead in Nadimarg Village More than 4, 00.000 Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley and took refuge in Jammu and elsewhere, leaving their entire properties and belongings in the valley to the mercy of militants and Jihadi's.

More than 1500 KPs were killed by terrorists when most of them after being maimed and tortured in most inhumane ways. Over 800 KPs died due to sunstroke, snake bites in refugee camps at Jammu and Delhi. Over 8000 KP refugees died unnatural deaths while living in subhuman conditions in exile.

Over 30,000 residential houses, business establishments, shops, small scale industries, were gutted by the Jehadi's and others in the valley Most of the shops of KP's have been illegally occupied in Srinagar city alone by the local Muslims at the behest of Jihadi's

About 145 Hindu shrines and temples were burnt by the terrorists in Kashmir. This else is only a small summary about the whole story of exodus and KP's sufferance. There are other horrifying tales too, which cannot be mentioned here because of the paucity of space.

The government of the day should know it before identifying individual cases of martyrdom of KP's Probably it makes a distinguished identifications of selective preferences of martyrs of KP's on the basis of unfortunate preferential paradoxes, which is not fair and equable

Who does not know the sacrifices of Pt. Tika Lal Taploo for his community as a minority leader who fought elections in Srinagar against communal odds and frenzies? Who does not know as to how much loyal and committed he remained to the cause of the problems of the KP's in regard to the mass discriminations against KP's in every sphere of development, by the then political set up abetted and supported by the congress from Delhi. Probably he paid a heavy price for it, when he was the first target of the bullets of the terrorists in broad daylight on the streets of Srinagar city. There has been no official mourning so far for his martyrdom, which is an actual martyrdom for the cause of the KP community.

What was the fault of Pt. Neel Kanth Ganjoo, prominent retired senior judge, to get butchered at the hands of terrorists in broad daylight on the streets of the Srinagar city. His fault was that he had taken recourse to legal procedures in awarding death sentence to Maqbool Bhat, a high profile militant of earlier days. Was his martyrdom ever mourned officially, though deserving so more than anyone else.

On 2 February 1990, Satish Tikoo, a young Hindu Pandit social-worker was murdered near his own house in Habba Kadal. What was his fault? Who has mourned his martyrdom? His family members and none else.

On 13 February 1990, Lassa Kaul. Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead. What was his fault? Yes, his fault was that he was the station director of the Doordarshan Srinagar, being a KP unacceptable to the Muslim community. Who mourned his death and martyrdom?

A reputed and a distinguished lawyer Sh Prem Nath Bhat from Anantnag Kashmir, was gunned down on 27 December 1989 in South Kashmir Was his martyrdom ever been condoled officially?

These are minuscule instances being quoted here There are hundreds of such martyrs of KP's who have been killed and butchered by the terrorists and have remained unwept and unsung so far, across the length and breadth of the valley of Kashmir.

Getting reminded about the sad event of March 1997, when terrorists dragged out seven Kashmiri Pandits from their houses in Sangrampora village and gunned them down. Similarly In January 1998, about 23 Kashmiri Pandits, including women and children, shot in cold blood in Wandhama Village In March 2003, about 24 Kashmiri Pandits including infants, brutally shot dead in Nadimarg Village.

Should there be bigger martyrdom of KP's with the brutal killings and carnages of KP's in Sangrampur village, Wyndham Village and the Nadimarg Village Unfortunate for we the KP's of all ranks and files to see the apathies of the governments of earlier times, as also of the present day, to ignore such mass martyrdom of such KP's.

If the government of the day can name a school after the name of a distinguished martyr, on individual basis and rightly so, why not to construct "Martyr Memorials, in all such villages were KP's were massacred brutally Why can not the schools and health centres at all such locations are named after such KP martyrs.

Similarly why should not the schools colleges and hospitals in the valley be named in the names of the heroic martyrs like Pt. Tika Lal Taploo, Pt. Nilkanth Ganjoo, Sh. Satish Tickoo, Pt. Lassa Koul, Sh. Prem Nath Bhat and the other heroic martyrs of KP's, at all such locations of the valley of Kashmir where ever they rendered their martyrdom The government of the day has to consider this suggestion, on priority and merit, as the precedence has already been laid by naming a school in the name of Pt. Sarwanad Koul Premi in his home village, which is appreciable.

The sad night of the 19 January of 1990, which is the night of doomsday for the KP's who are now scattered as refugees in their own country yearning to return back to their lost homes and hearths in Kashmir, needs a recognition by the administration of the day. when it has been ignored by previous governments so far. In fact this day of 19 January needs to be observed as a "Martyrs Day officially in Jammu and Kashmir every year in the name of the martyrs of Kashmiri Pandits, who sacrificed their lives for their homeland to keep India alive in Jammu and Kashmir Obituaries and seminars of remembrances of KP martyrs need to be observed in Jammu and Kashmir on this day every year officially.

Similarly the remembrance days of the brutal killings and carnages of KP's in Sangrampora village, Wyndham Village and the Nadimarg Village, needs to be observed individually on all such days of its happenings, at all these locations to pay homage's to the mass martyrs of KP's of these locations. It will mean a real tribute to the mass martyrs of KP's who lost their lives for the cause of the nation as a whole.

The author is a chartered consultant civil enginee passionately attached to his motherland-Jammu & Kashmir.

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Courtesy:- Er. P.L. Khushu and June 2023, Koshur Samachar