JNU Conference on Kashmiri Pandits' plight

The Centre for Inner Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, conducted an illuminating conference on the problems of the Kashmiri Pandits, driven out of their hearts and homes and the ways for their resettlement in an atmosphere of security and respect. Knowledgeable professors from universities, located in the Capital and outside, as also, activists and intellectual personalities, engaged in finding ways of solving the exiled community's problems, provided valuable suggestions. We present a summary of the deliberations of the eventful event.

Samachar Bureau.

 

The Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, organized a two-day National Conference on the theme "Prospects for Resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits: Socio-Economic and Psychological Dimensions" at School of International Studies - J.N.U., on September 28 and 29 last.

 

This is for the first time a conference on this theme is organized by our Centre in this University. This Conference was funded by the Northern Regional Centre, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. There were three technical sessions, in addition to the inaugural and valedictory sessions, which deliberated upon issues like: a) Historical-Cultural Perspective; b) Displacement of Kashmiri Pandits; c) Socio-Economic Conditions of Displaced Kashmiri Pandits; d) Prospects of Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Kashmir Pandits; and

e) The Way Forward.

The Conference was attended by more than 100 academics, journalists, activists, legal practitioners, defense personnel, Kashmiri Pandit community, research scholars and academics from Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi), Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi University and organizations based and outside.

 

The inaugural session was chaired by Prof. Sharad K. Soni, Chairperson, CIAS, SIS. Dr Mahesh R Debata, the Conference Coordinator, emphasized that this is the maiden attempt by any Centre of JNU to organize a national- level seminar on such an important theme. Such academic explorations, he added, would examine different perspectives hitherto unanswered. Delivering the inaugural address, Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra, Rector, JNU, emphasized that it will be more effective as perspectives of those Kashmiri Pandits who had experienced the plight of forced migration and suggested that outcomes of the seminar be conceptualized as a note or memorandum to the Government of India.

 

The Guest of Honour, Prof. Kaushal K. Sharma, Director, Northern Regional Centre, ICSSR, explained the fear and tribulation ingrained in the minds of children, women and men who lost their childhood experiences, prime years of their life and adulthood because of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. He highlighted the need to conduct specialized studies in support of the Kashmiri Pandits.

 

Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor, JNU, while addressing the t gathering, stressed upon the importance and significance of keeping the domestic scenario right. She lauded the Government of India for initiating development projects in order to resettle the effect of forced migration suffered by the Kashmiri Pandits.

 

Shri Jagannath Dhar, senior journalist and Editor of the Koshur Samachar, in his keynote address, described at length about the core premise of the seminar and explained the historic events that gave rise to the exodus and issues faced by the Kashmiri Pandits, especially from the beginning of 1990, when the valley witnessed aggression against them. According to him, the genesis of Kashmir Imbroglio and the roots of the problem lie at the hasty partition of the nation and how the flaws in the Indian Independence Act, that did not mention the specifics of the border demarcations and haste and lack of capacity of Mountbatten in gauging the specifics of division leading to mass uprooting and sparking the Kashmir issue. He emphasized the duplicitous stance of Pakistan in terms of addressing the issue of displaced Uighur Muslim community. In China, while being vocal about Kashmiri Muslims. He added that no mainstream party Kashmiri leader has emphasized the need of religious unity or expressed opposition to the two-nation theory. The session ended with a vote of thanks extended by Advocate Seema Patnaha of the Supreme Court of India.

 

Inaugural Session |

 

Technical Session I titled "Historical-Cultural Perspective" was chaired by Prof Chintamani Mahapatra, The first speaker, Shri. Kamal Hak, National Spokesperson, Panun Kashmir, lamented that the genocide against Kashmiri Pandits, that occurred in 1990, was in practice in some form for the past 600 years. He highlighted the urgent need for reversing the fallacy of Kashmir not being a part of collective Indian heritage and negation of such history. He highlighted the inability of the Indian intellectual class in identifying the rich history of Kashmir even when Kashmir was the first society that went against Vedic strictures of the time and lamented that the equal treatment of women and traditions attributed to women in Kashmir as well as festivals and similar cultural markers are left unaddressed.

 

Prof. Rajnish Kumar Mishra, of the School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies, JNU, explained the role of history in the preservation of mass memory and the lack of such practice in the present scenario as well as the significance of Kashmir in upholding and leading the poetic grandeur and philosophical traditions. He detailed the parampara of Kashmir Shaivite tradition and darshana of Acharya Abhinavagupta and explained the extent of Shaivism that originated in Kashmir. He added how Sharada Peeth being the centre of learning since the millennium has been part and parcel of the cultural heritage of Kashmir.

 

Perspective", deliberated upon the importance of the process of reintegration of Kashmir and creation of a conducive environment for this process. He opined that the creation of a strategic space is important and the strategic vacuum to be filled by reintegration of Kashmiri Pandits. Smt. Aasha Khosa, senior independent journalist, spoke on "Displacement of Kashmiri Pandits: The Conspiracy Behind Their Exodus" and explained that the gradual shift of tranquillity to violence was largely unnoticed by the Kashmiri Pandits to a point where it experienced mayhem and violence. The fear and sense of tribulation experienced by the Kashmiri Pandits, according to her, can be similar to that of Jews during the holocaust.

 

Shri Pushpendra Kulshrestha, a Delhi-based journalist, dilated upon the theme "Removal of Article 370 and 35 (A) and impact on Kashmiri Pandits." He opined that the subsequent strengthening of political agendas left a large section of Kashmir detached from the national narrative and it will take more time and effort to dismantle the anti-national narrative. He stressed that the crimes committed against Kashmiri Pandits must be investigated and the people responsible for instigation and commission of crimes must be brought to justice.

 

Technical Session - ||

 

On the second day, two sessions were held. The Technical Session -III titled "The Way Forward" was chaired by Prof. K. Warikoo, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi. Shri Shiv Kumar Bhat, General Secretary, Kashmiri Visthapit Sangharsh Samiti, New Delhi, emphasized the need to redefine existing understanding of the concept of secularism in order to gain a different perspective of the concept. He highlighted that in order to address the sufferings of the Kashmiri Pandits, who lost their kith and kin, and despite that, their children, through their educational and professional skills, created a large pool of talent. Shri. Ravinder Kaul, cultural critic from Jammu, in his paper, "Return of Kashmiri Pandits: The Way Forward", highlighted the duplicity over the assertion of rights demanded and rights granted in the social sphere as according to demographic shifts in Kashmir, leading to a hostile environment. He observed that the resistance to the return of the Kashmiri Pandits from armed militants, separatists and the general public arose respectively, from ideological, political and economic reasons. Smt. Shakti Munshi, Independent Director, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited, in her presentation, cited about the culture of syncretism practiced historically in Kashmir and how such traditions were observed by the polity in general She detailed as to how the gradual intimidating tactics developed into direct affront against the Kashmiri Pandits, indicated the ingraining of violence in a coordinated manner directed against the community .

 

Technical Session - III

 

The valedictory session was chaired by Prof. Kaushal K. Sharma, Director, Northern Regional Centre, ICSSR, New Delhi) and the valedictory address was delivered by Prof. K Warikoo, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi, Prof. Warikoo, elucidated the situation and historic facets of Kashmiri Pandits. He added that the Kashmiri Pandits are of a civilization that spans 5094 years and how immensely they contributed to the civilization of India and its intellectual and philosophical tradition. He added that the Kashmiri Pandits suffered atrocities and tumultuous experiences of seven centuries, under various invaders and aggressors who targeted the community including the crimes and genocide of 1990. He highlighted the deliberate portrayal of Kashmiri Pandits as exploiters and explained that, in reality, they were surviving on small holdings of land and were engaged in agriculture to earn their livelihood. He made several recommendations and suggestions including the establishment of Hindu Shrine Board for the effective administration of the temples and initiation of measures to declare null and void the land deeds of those properties which were occupied illegally from the Kashmiri Pandits who were coerced to leave their homeland. Dr. Ashuthosh Bhatnagar, Director, Jammu and Kashmir Study Centre, New Delhi, as part of his special remarks, emphasized that the permanent and enduring solution to the Kashmir issue can only be found by the Indian Government.

 

Some of the participants, other than the paper presenters, made several observations and gave recommendations. The Rapporteurs' report was presented by Mr. Abhilash G. Ramesh, Doctoral Research Scholar of the Centre. The National Seminar ended with a vote of thanks by Dr. Mahesh Ranjan Debata, the coordinator of the Seminar.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article.                                                     

Courtesy: Koshur Samachar:   October ,  2019