RIK and civil society hold candle light tribute in memory of martyred soldiers in Kashmir

Roots In Kashmir – a frontline group of Kashmiri Pandit community and an initiative of the youth organized a prayer meeting and a candle light vigil at India Gate in memory of Major K.P. Vinay and Major Dinesh Raghuraman who were recently martyred in an operation of the Indian Army in Tangamarg Sector of Kashmir.

People were holding placards, which read, "We Salute our Soldiers", "End Terrorism" and "Terrorists Can Never be Successful" etc. The family of Major Dinesh Raghuraman as well joined them. Eighty year old grandmother of Major Dinesh could be seen accompanied by Dinesh's parents lighting candle in his memory.

Father of Major Dinesh Raghuraman holding a placard.

Eighty year old Grandmother tearfully lighting candles.


Family members of Major Raman paying tributes.

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A huge group of policemen was deployed at India Gate to stop our peaceful prayer meeting. Police tried to scuffle with people present and as well tore posters. Its sad that we as Indian's don't even have a right to remember our soldiers at a memorial specially built for our martyrs.

Police trying to scuffle with common people at the prayer meeting.

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As a nation we have so far remained mute in our admiration of these brave soldiers. Barring one TV Channel who paid tributes to these martyrs the rest have stood their ground of "Unbiased Reportage". It is thus up to us the Citizens of India that we stand by the families in their grief and Pride. It is up to us to show that we care for those who guard our frontiers said one of the protestors.

This as well is a befitting reply to Tangmarg MLA and ex-Housing minister Ghulam Hassan Mir a founder-member of ruling coalition partner PDP who offered fateh, special prayers, to grant heaven for the killed 9 millitants on last Thursday at the militants' graves two days after the three-day gun battle said another.

It is time nation and the media wakes up to this menance which doesnt have any qualms about attacking any religion,creed or caste.IOnly yesterady have we seen how these barbaric forces have attacked Ajmer Sharif with a view to create communal tensions.The fidayeen Attack on CRPF camp in Srinagar should silence all those who are for troop reduction and thus giving a free passage to terrorists.Unless the government comes down with a strong hand on the terrorists we may have to do these tributes time and again,which we are sure makes all of us sad and worried about the state of our nation.

Common citizens holding placards.



Media Reports

The Tribune (Picture)- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071013/delhi.htm

Kashmirnewz.com - Kashmiri Pandit Group flays minister for guerillas prayers

Purdafash.com - Candle Light Tribute for Martyred Soldiers

Also in The Asian Age, The Hindustan Times, Daily Excelsior etc.

Lest we forget...they laid their lives for us.

Don't let them go... These were the last words of critically wounded Major.Raghuraman fighting terrorists in Tangmarg sector of Jammu and Kashmir. True to their word Major KP Vinay and Major Raghuraman ensured none of the nine infiltrators could reach the valley.

Two young soldiers of the Indian Army, one who was about to be a father and another to be a bride-groom were martyred on 3 rd of October, while fighting forces of evil. They gave up their lives in the hope that this nation can sleep in peace.

As a nation we have so far remained mute in our admiration of these brave soldiers. Barring one TV Channel who paid tributes to these martyrs the rest have stood their ground of "Unbiased Reportage". It is thus up to us the Citizens of India that we stand by the families in their grief and Pride. It is up to us to show that we care for those who guard our frontiers.

Let us all assemble at India Gate on Friday,12th Oct, 07 at 6PM to pay tribute to these brave sons of the soil.

"Roots in Kashmir"

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For Further Information plz contact:

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Rashneek Kher - 9810049979

Sunil Bhat - 9911783469

Aditya Raj Kaul - 9873297834

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Please spread the word and forward this to as many as possible.

The Endangered Species by Rahul Pandita(in The Sunday Indian)

The simmers of the communal riots had just died away in Kashmir in 1986, when the then Union Minister of Human Resources SB Chavan came visiting the valley in connection with a wildlife conservation project. It was a project involving the Kashmiri Hangul (a species of deer), which had been declared as endangered species. As Chavan met people, a man appeared from behind and shot a question at him: "So Mr. Minister, you are very interested in saving the animal?" Chavan looked at the man and replied in affirmative. "But what about the other endangered species of this land?" the man said. "Which endangered species?" asked Chavan. "Kashmiri Pandits", replied the man, before disappearing in the crowd.
It has been almost eighteen years ever since Kashmiri Pandits were forced out of valley as terrorists called the shots. All these years, there have been many promises of bringing them back but, so far, it has not materialised at all. This is simply because the Pandits are not a formidable vote bank. As Pandits have been left alone to struggle against all odds, Kashmir has turned into a cottage industry. Human rights activists and self-styled intellectuals spend some time in the houseboats of Kashmir and then pen down book after book, sitting in the air-conditioned environs of Delhi's India International Centre. Amidst all the debris of case studies from the valley, the Kashmiri Pandits do not even figure as statistics.
But today, even the literacy rate among the community, which boasted of hundred percent literacy, is dwindling. Medical surveys state that the Kashmiri Hindus in exile have aged physically and mentally by ten to fifteen years. The Pandit intellectuals and leaders even apprehend that if such a trend continues at this pace only, one day the community may cease to exist. "The apathy towards Kashmiri Pandits is like a blister on the face of Indian secularism," says Dr. Agnishekhar, a community leader.
History bears a witness to the fact that Kashmiri Pandits have been known for their scholarly works in the field of philosophy, poetry, literature, grammar, erotics, drama, music and theatre and so on. It is also because of Pandits that Buddhism was propagated in Central Asia, China and Tibet . It was Ratnavaja, a Pandit from Kashmir , who was appointed as a supervisor for the rebuilding of Bsam-Yas monastery in Central Tibet, which was burnt in 986 A.D. A Kashmiri scholar Lakshmi taught Anutra tantra in Tibet during 1007 A.D.
But today, even the literacy rate among the community, which boasted of hundred percent literacy, is dwindling. Medical surveys state that the Kashmiri Hindus in exile have aged physically and mentally by ten to fifteen years. The Pandit intellectuals and leaders even apprehend that if such a trend continues at this pace only, one day the community may cease to exist. "The apathy towards Kashmiri Pandits is like a blister on the face of Indian secularism," says Dr. Agnishekhar, a community leader.

And back in Jammu , Poshkar Nath Raina sits in a mini bus, looking absently in thin air. He is missing his cow. He misses the apple tree in his backyard. He has not tasted the bodyuhaak and vostahaak (rare Kashmiri vegetables) for ages now. He looks at the fruit vendors selling apples. "Thirty rupees a kilo – Kashmiri apples," the vendor makes a sales pitch. "These and Kashmiri apples," Raina passes a sarcastic laugh, " you put a Kashmiri apple inside your mouth and it is filled with juice. The apples sold here are not even fit for animal consumption. Thirty rupees a kilo? Huh!" He looks at others. Nobody seems to be interested. He closes his eyes. And sitting amidst a heap of his canvasses, artist Triloke Koul whispers, "I feel I was not born at all."