From the President s Desk

 

Respected Biradari Members Namaskar

At the very outset, I wish to acknowledge and deeply appreciate the spirit of solidarity shown by our community on the occasion of Martyrs' Day, observed by Kashmiri Samiti Delhi and at several other places across the country. Since 1990, Kashmiri Samiti Delhi has played a pioneering role in recognizing the need to collectively honour our beloved martyrs. The brutal killing of our community icon, Sh. Tikka Lal Taploo, by Islamic terrorists shook us alland left the community in shock and anguish. It was Kashmiri Samiti Delhi that first rose to the occasion and dedicated a day to mark this supreme sacrifice, thereby institutionalizing Martyrs' Day. Although Sh. Tikka Lal Ji was martyred on September 13, 1989, the community decided to observe the day on September 14 for a meaningful reason. Today, we appeal to all members of our community to come together and observe this solemn day at a single venue, transforming it into a true Mahakumbh of unity and remembrance, where we collectively pay homage to our martyrs and honour the values they upheld through their ultimate sacrifices. This solemn day is not just a remembrance, but a reaffirmation of our collective grief, pain, and unending sorrow for our martyrs who laid down their precious lives in defense of the eternal values enshrined in Sanatan Dharma. For centuries, Kashmiri Pandits have offered civilizational and historical resistance to barbaric, cruel, and extremist forces that invaded our land and sought to annihilate our existence. Our homeland nurtured in us values of humanity, kindness, inclusiveness, and respect for all, irrespective of caste, creed, or faith. Yet, it was precisely for these values, for standing firm in our spiritual humanism, that we were persecuted. We had to pay a heavy price for refusing to bow before tyranny. Our leaders, scholars, doctors, educators, professionals, and ordinary men and women were singled out and targeted for not yielding to alien dictates. Though we were unarmed and a minuscule minority, we carried within us a five thousand-year-old civilizational legacy as the aboriginals of this sacred Kashyap Bhoomi-Kashmir. It is a matter of deep anguish that, during those critical times, both the central and state governments failed to confront the menace of Islamic terrorism. While Pakistan undoubtedly fueled the fire, it was the active complicity of local elements that turned the valley into a theater of bloodshed. Under the rule of Farooq Abdullah, the state machinery looked the other way, allowing hundreds of radicalized youths to cross the border, receive arms training, and return to unleash terror. Initially, Kashmiri Hindus were the primary targets-murdered, threatened, and terrorized into abandoning their homes. Since the day we were forced into exile, our lives have never been the same. The losses we suffered are immense, irreconcilable, and beyond compensation. Decades of neglect pushed us into destitution, compelling many to sell their ancestral properties to those very people who had hounded us out. A section of our community received only meager assistance-barely enough for subsistence while countless families languished for years in tents, losing an entire generation in penury, helplessness, and state apathy. Our genocide was buried under political noise, false narratives, and even collaborations with our tormentors. Worse still, instead of being helped, we were often questioned. Yet, our community rose from despair. Our youth in particular deserve eternal gratitude for bringing the truth of our genocide to the world stage. They fearlessly exposed false narratives, countered liberal apologists and "Aman ki Asha" propagandists, and unmasked those who whitewashed the sins of terrorists under the guise of freedom and open societies. Our intellectuals and scholars fought rigorous battles, ensuring that the world recognized the far-reaching consequences of Islamic jihad. Despite being empty-handed, we invested in education and empowered our children, who today stand strong, capable, and resilient. We had hoped that the present government at the center would fully understand the enormity of our pain, deprivation, and existential struggle. Sadly, our expectations have not been met. When the suffering of victims is ignored in pursuit of appeasing perpetrators, history is bound to repeat itself, and new victims will inevitably be created. Nevertheless, we shall not falter. Our resolve is unbroken. Our Kashmir Bhawan is nearing completion-a symbol of our endurance and vision. We have larger dreams to realize, but for that, unity and mutual support remain our greatest strength. Our struggle has entered a decisive phase, and this demands vigilance, solidarity, and collective effort. With warm greetings on the auspicious occasions of Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali

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Courtesy:  Sumeer  Chrungoo   and Koshur Samachar- October,2025