Monday, October 5, 2009

One More Farce

In the past two weeks there seems to frentic activity over "the return of Pandits".The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted an Apex Committee to oversee the 1600 crore PM's package as also to pave the way for smooth return of Kashmiri Pandits.
Ordinrily it would be a reason for rejoice that finally the Government has started addressing the Kashmiri Pandit Issue.But alas,thats not to be.The government constituted apex committee immediately evokes skepticism if not outright suspicion because of the names of some of the "Pandit leaders" in it.Now could anyone tell me what makes Vijay Bakaya(the ex-chief Secy to J&K govt) a leader of the Pandits.But he is not the only one.There are many like him who could tilt the scales in case the heads are counted at a crucial stage.Then there are leaders who have lost their security deposits in the last assembly elections.Who exactly does the Government believe is our leader?
Be that as it may,let us now look at the deliverables of the committee and the scope of its activities.While it talks about the much maligned semamtic of dignified return of Pandits to their homes and hearths, there is absolutely no mention of what led to their exodus neither does one encounter a word about justice for those who lost their lives to the grand Pan-Islamic terrorism.I havent even talked about reversal of ethnic cleansing yet.I am conciously choosing not to use words like Holocaust and Genocide for they may "irk" the sickulars and their apologists.
Now let us run the committee.Panun Kashmir the only Political ideology based group of Kashmiri Pandits refused to join the committee.I am told it was political naivette that they stood out.What was the harm in them joining and making a point.After all you have to be a part of the sysytem to change the system.Point well made.

With their experience at the Round Table Conference which is chaired by no less than the PM himself,one would be surprised that none of the points raised by either Agnishekhar or Ajay Chrungoo was ever included in the final declarations.Not even one of their recommendations has ever been documented leave alone accepted.With this kind of experience at their hands why should they join another farce.

And as far as the argument of being in the system goes,werent Kashmiri Pandits always a part of the sysytem of independent India.Did we change anything at all?
Could Manmohan Singh as a sikh himself bring to book his own Congressmen responsible for the 1984 anti Sikh Pogrom sponsored by the SECULAR Congress.Isnt he at the top of the system?

For all those Pandit organisations or individuals who attended the Apex Committe meeting may I ask,Are you prepared Sirs to have a house next to Bitta Karate's,Are you ready to see your relative's killer having tea when you go out to buy vegetables,Are you ready to go back to the same village where your own neighbours burnt your house, Are you ready to say Sallam to the very man who you know has pissed on the deity that you worshipped everyday.Sorry Sir,I may be a coward but I am not prepared to do so neither do I know of many unless they have already bargained a good price for their soul,mind and else.

This message from the youth of the community should be read in its letter and spirit that while we want to go home we do not want to sit with the government who trivialises the issue of our return.It isnt as if we had merrily left one day only to return now because they will pay us 7.5 lac rupees.Make no mistake about it.Let the government first show some resolve.Let them fast track cases related to killing of Kashmiri Pandits.Let there atleast be one conviction.Let them de-encroach the land of our shrines.

We cannot have the horse before the cart.We know our brothers back in Jammu need jobs.Give them jobs.That is their due but to link it return is sending us back into subjugation.Give them Jobs anywhere on this side of the tunnel.Show some resolve.And my elders please do not fall in to the trap of a farce.