Craving for Justice and Dignified Resolution

 

Respected Biradari Members

Namaskar

As we calebrateccasion dedicated to Lord Shiva and Mrat), our overwhelming sense of loss accompanies our prayers. For the Kashmiri Pandit community, this festival is no longer merely a celebration it is a reminder of our homeland, Kashmir, the eternal abode of Shiva, from which we were forcibly uprooted. This year marks the 37th year of our exile. Nearly four decades have passed since the wave of terrorism shattered our lives, dispossessing us of our homes, land, heritage, and dignity. Generations have grown up away from their roots, carrying the burden of a displacement they did not choose. The pain of exile continues, unaddressed and unresolved. What deepens this anguish is the absence of meaningful justice. The constitutional ideals of democracy, secularism, and socialism beautifully inscribed in the Preamble-have yet to translate into relief or restitution for our community. For us, these words remain promises unfulfilled. Despite the enormity of the tragedy we endured, our genocide has neither been formally acknowledged nor judicially addressed with the seriousness it deserves. Even more disturbing is the continued insensitivity displayed by certain sections who trivialize our suffering and question our right to return and rehabilitate in our homeland. Those who presided over, justified, or normalized the terror of the 1990s continue to enjoy social and political space without accountability. The narrative that once glorified terrorism as "freedom struggle" has not been decisively repudiated, leaving victims feeling abandoned by the system meant to protect them. Successive governments, irrespective of political affiliation, have failed to implement a comprehensive and dignified solution. Employment packages announced years ago remain incomplete in spirit, as displaced employees continue to live in transit accommodations rather than secure, integrated residential settlements. The proposal of yet another transit camp only reinforces the painful reality that even after decades, we are treated as temporary occupants rather than rightful inhabitants of our ancestral land. While the Hon'ble Prime Minister has rightly articulated a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, justice must also extend to those who bore its brunt. Victims cannot be expected to reconcile without accountability. Developmental projects, infrastructure expansion, railways, bridges, and economic initiatives, though important, cannot substitute for justice. True normalization in Jammu & Kashmir will remain incomplete unless the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits is acknowledged, addressed, and reversed through concrete rehabilitation and resettlement measures. The implementation of justice - through recognition of the genocide, protection of constitutional rights, and structured resettlement in accordance with long-standing community resolutions - is not merely a demand; it is a constitutional obligation. The writ of the Indian Constitution must run unhindered in every inch of Jammu & Kashmir, and that includes safeguarding the rights, security, and dignity of the Kashmiri Pandit community. Our appeal is not rooted in anger, but in a quest for justice, dignity, and return. As we bow before Lord Shiva this Herath, we pray not only for peace and prosperity, but for the restoration of our homeland, our identity, and our rightful place in the land that has been ours for millennia.

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Courtesy:    Sumeer Chrungoo and Koshur Samachar- March, 2026