36 Years of Yearning- A Neverending Wait

 

The secular state of India is a flawed sation foe the halt a million Kakawin Hindus, also known as l'arsdits There is not an ists of truth in the constitutional promises of equality and patice when applied to Hindus in general and Kashunir Pandits in particular. A separating Muslim Maulvis from Kashmir, who has no regard for the Constitution of India, is invited to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (IPC) to present his cominural views on the Waqf Board Amendovent Bill. Those opposing the amendments vehemently speak against any kind of change to the draconian law, originally passed by the Congress and amended over time, which grants sweeping legal authority to the Waqf Board to claim any property without providing immediate recourse for challenging such actions in a court of law Now, compare this with the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. A genocide was carried out against them under the watch of figures like Maulvi Farooq and the then government led by Farooq Abdullah. The opposition at the Centre, led by Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi, and the government of VP Singh, which had the support of both communists and the BJP, failed to act. During this time, the Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-a Kashmiri Muslim-focused on saving the terrorist ecosystem in the valley The then Govemor, Jagmohan, was making efforts to crack down on the nexus of the JKLF and other terrorist groups, attempting to restore normalcy to the valley. However, the self-serving dynastic political families, from Kashmir to southern India, timed a blind eye, leaving the Kashmiri Pandits to their fate. The fate of the Kashmiri Pandits was bleak. They were driven out of their homes and ancestral lands at gunpoint. Their injured, bruised, and wounded souis needed healing. These people had aspired to live collectively and secularly in the Muslim-majority valley but were severely punished for upholding the Constitution of India. Their loyalty to the nation was greater than their loyalty to any faith. But who cared? Did anyone truly care about what these minuscule Hindus were enduring Not only were their homes and hearths destroyed, but their educational institutions, resources, cultural, civilizational, and religious identities were mutilated and annihilated. This genocide remains neither a concern for the Indian Parliament nor a subject before the Supreme Court India now faces threats from individuals like Owaisi and Maulvi Farooq, who warn that any change to the Waqf Board laws will lead to Shaheen Bagh-like protests across the country. Opposition parties, led by Hindu leaders from North to South India, seem complicit in fostering a growing Islamic jihadi state. Their actions echo the turmoil of 1947, which culminated in the bloody partition of India. The wisdom lies in amending these outdated laws for national prosperity and liberating the Muslim community from the clutches of fundamentalist political ideologies that have only harmed Indian Muslims over the years, Kashmiri Pandits yearn for justice. If justice continues to be delayed, the very edifice of the Constitution will be at risk Kashmiri Pandits aspire to return to their homeland. A recent survey indicates that 62% of Kashmiri Pandits are willing to return immediately if provided with sufficient security, means of livelihood, and compensation for their losses. They also seek resettlement in a single, safe zone. While this percentage reflects the broader sentiment, the truth is that if the government abandons its patchwork and piecemeal approach and instead devises a meaningful package of rehabilitation and resettlement in consultation with leading Kashmiri Pandit organizations, the exile of Kashmiri Pandits in their own country could finally come to an end. Their dream of returning to their homeland can become a reality.

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Courtesy:  Maharaj Shah  and Koshur Samachar-2025, February