"Roots In Kashmir" is an initiative launched by us, the Kashmiri Pandit Youth, to reclaim our Roots that identify us. Even though we have been hounded out of our homes and hearths in the Kashmir valley, our "Roots" are very much anchored in the Vitasta Valley. This is an initiative to protest and raise the general awareness of public to a level where our "fight for our roots" is felt, heard and acted upon. rootsinkashmir@outlook.com
Monday, October 1, 2018
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Hizb should not use Kashmiri Pandits to further its separatist agenda
Kashmir is on the boil. It has been that way for decades now. After Burhan Wani’s death on July 8, and the consequent actions and reactions to it in the Valley, it feels as if someone has turned up the volume.
And now suddenly there is some buzz about a video by Wani’s possible successor, young Hizbul Mujahideen leader Zakir Rashid Bhat. Newspaper reports claim that he has invited the “other” Kashmiris — the Pandits — to the Valley. He has also asked Sikhs seeking revenge for Operation Blue Star to join forces with him. It’s a strange bundling of invitations.
It is worth noting that Bhat, who is all of 22-years-old, is “inviting” the Pandits who were forced out of the Valley 26 years ago.
“The whole Kashmir movement is a jihadi movement for a Sharia-based Islamic republic. With world opinion strongly against the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, the separatists and terrorists are now trying to find ways to disguise the same as a freedom moment of all Kashmiris and not only Kashmiri Sunni Muslim. Calling the Pandits back to the Valley will make the whole fight look secular,” says Amit Raina, a leading voice in the Pandit community and an activist with Roots in Kashmir, a youth initiative for Kashmiri Pandits. Raina was 14 years old when he left the Valley.
“The Hizbul invite is like a black widow spider’s invitation — be nice, entice and annihilate once trapped. It was the same Hizbul that had assured the Pandits at Wandhama before selling them out to the Lashkar-e-Taiba leading to death of 23 Pandits. So the invitation can be ignored without a second thought,” he adds.
“The context of Bhat’s invitation is in the ignominy of Hindu genocide in the Kashmir valley. This invitation is a desperate attempt to look and sound civilised,” says Sushil Pandit, an activist.
Bhat is reported to have said, “They [Pandits] should look at those Pandits who have been living in the Valley. Did they face any problems here?” Kashmiris in the Valley are living through horrific times. These invitations — which are sometimes given a secular flavour and otherwise a nationalist note — make a mockery of the Pandits, and their suffering.
When Arvind Gigoo left the Valley in 1990, he was teaching in a college in Anantnag. “Return is next to impossible. No Kashmiri Pandit will go back. Bhat has an agenda. Nobody takes us seriously, we are a useless community,” says the retired professor in a bitter tone.
My father, Chaman Lal Sapru, also a retired professor, recounts those days before the exodus. “How can one forget the headline in Alsafa [a weekly magazine]— ‘KPs should leave in 10 days’, or the cries of ‘rallev, challev ya mariv’ (Become part of us, run away or die)!” says the octogenarian. “Farooq Abdullah and his family ran away to London. He did nothing to stop the Pandits.”
Time and the way many Pandits look at this are relative. For those who were forced to leave the Valley the events of 1990 seemed like they happened just yesterday. The intensity of the pain has not diminished.
But for many born outside the Valley, Kashmir is just a familiar word. Lenesh Matoo, a 24-year-old TV actor in Mumbai, has only been to Kashmir thrice. He would like to “visit” home, but doesn’t want to go there to live and earn a living.
So the message to Bhat, or anyone who from time to time comes with special promises for Pandits, is simple: Leave it alone, the time for all this has passed.
For the Pandits, Kashmir is always home. It will be, irrespective of where we are. And to return home, we don’t need to support anyone’s agenda.
asapru@hindustantimes.com
http://m.hindustantimes.com/analysis/hizb-should-not-use-kashmiri-pandits-to-further-its-separatist-agenda/story-oHQHKI9HFTGdLvW3FN53QM.html
Monday, March 31, 2014
COVERAGE OF #REH2014
TIMES OF INDIA
JK MOINTOR
http://www.jkmonitor.org/index.php/en/14-news-views/14821-they-sing-dance-and-shout-aloud-together-till-their-voice-resonates-in-kashmir-valley
The event was covered by ANI and telecast on various TV Channels.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Geelani Farce
Friday, March 6, 2009
RIK Photo Exhibition on Terrorism (1st Day) a great success
A View of the exhibition..
RIK Chd team at the Student Centre venue
One of the Signature Campaign sheets
People at the venue
RIK Volunteers explaining to the visitors..Wednesday, March 4, 2009
RIK Exhibition/Seminar on Terrorism - WUZMAL ...terror strikes!
Jhankaar '09
in association with
ROOTS IN KASHMIR
present
WUZMAL ..terror strikes
Screening of a documentary and an audio-video presentation followed by a panel discussion. The eminent participanets would be:
- Mr. P.C. Dogra, Retd. DIG - BSF (served as IG - BSF in 1990)
- Mr. Ronki Ram, Dean, Political Science Department, Panjab University
- Mr. Rahul Pandita, well-known writer and journalist
Venue: English Auditorium, Panjab University, Chandigarh
Date: 7th March '09 Time: 4pm onwards.
A two day Photo-Exhibition on Terrorism (6th and 7th March '09)Venue: Student Centre (Stu C), Panjab University, Chandigarh
For more info: Bhawick Jalali: +91-9876678558
Sunday, November 9, 2008
'Roots In Kashmir' supports protest against terrorist S.A.R. Geelani
Staff Reporter
The Hindu
NEW DELHI: “Roots in Kashmir”, an initiative of Kashmiri Hindu youth, came out in support of the Delhi University Students’ Union on Saturday in its protest against S.A.R. Geelani, the Zakir Husain College lecturer who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in the infamous Parliament attack case.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists had ransacked the Arts Faculty building on the North Campus of Delhi University on Thursday when a seminar to be chaired by Mr. Geelani was in progress. While the protest was on, DUSU president Nupur Sharma had “requested” Mr. Geelani to leave the venue.
“The public meeting organised by the University Community to debate ‘Communalism: Rhetoric and Reality’ was in reality on so-called ‘Hindu Fascism and Terrorism’. This was clearly mentioned in pamphlets distributed at the gathering,” said Aditya Raj Kaul, a youth activist and coordinator of “Roots in Kashmir”, on Saturday.
“We call upon the conscience of Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental to investigate the reality behind this propaganda meeting organised by some vested interests to provoke members of the student community of a certain religion. It may be noted that one of the main accused in the Parliament attack case, Mr. Geelani, has not been declared completely innocent by the Supreme Court. He had been released on ‘technical grounds’,” read a statement from the organisation.
Link - http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/09/stories/2008110957000300.htm
SFI & AISA Goons get violent in the seminar at Law Faculty. (In picture Taslima Chisti of JNU)Staff Reporter | New Delhi
The Daily Pioneer
Parliament attack accused incites youth to end 'fascism' in India, take on ABVP 'goons'
Under heavy police bandobast, the Delhi University (DU) on Thursday facilitated an "interactive session" where venom was spewed on the Government's counter-terrorism initiatives and a known anti-national — SAR Geelani, accused in the Parliament attack case — was hero-worshipped.
Addressing a gathering of about 50 students and teachers at the Arts Faculty seminar hall, Geelani said the Batla House encounter was stage-managed by Delhi Police. He said that different parameters were being applied in the handling of Islamic terrorism and the so-called Hindu terrorism. Geelani was speaking on 'Communalism, Fascism and Democracy — Rhetoric and Reality', organised by a barely-known campus group called University Community.
"There is no democracy in India. The Government, in the name of national security and war against terrorism, is targeting select people and letting others go scotfree. There is a huge difference in the way the Government deals with the so-called Islamic terrorism and those spread by Hindu extremists. Aur zyaada janne ke liye aap baad mein miliye (Meet me later for further explanations)," said Geelani, who was an accused in the 2003 Parliament attack case and was later comforted by the Supreme Court. He said that fascism and prejudice had crept into the four pillars of democracy in India. "Even the Chief Justice of India has been accused of corruption," he said.
About 50 persons, including some teachers from different departments of DU, participated in the talk. Amid slogans like "Civil Liberties Long Live" and "Hindu goons wapas jao", the speakers -- including two working journalists and a professor from the Department of Sociology, Jamia Millia Islamia, Nehsat Quaiser -- professed the cases of banned Muslim group, the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), and the likes of Afzal Guru.
Talking about the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists opposing the branding of Hindu groups as terrorists, Geelani said, "Inquilab comes from the youth. You should not fear these goons and end this fascism."
Another speaker said the Malegaon blasts accused, Pragya Singh Thakur, was not a sadhvi but the face of Sangh terror. University sources said a teacher from the Department of English had booked the hall for organising 'a talk'. University officials said they were not informed of the topic and that Geelani was supposed to deliver a lecture. University Proctor Gurmeet Singh even called the organisers repeatedly, asking them to cancel their talk in view of the protests incited by Geelani's and others' views. The meeting, however, went on.
The ABVP members, on the other hand, demonstrated outside the seminar room and shouted slogans, 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'. An activist even managed to reach the dais and spit on Geelani's face, saying 'shame, shame'. The ABVP activists then damaged some windows, doors, chairs and the microphone to disrupt the meeting. However, the meeting continued despite the disturbance. Later, police arrested some ABVP activists.
Exclusive Pics Courtesy - Aditya Raj Kaul
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Kashmiri Pandits hold protests in Delhi
Photographs - PTI & Reuters-
They criticised Governor N.N. Vohra, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for the decision.
The agitators also blocked peak-time traffic for over an hour near Jantar Mantar.
In March, the government had allotted 40 hectares of forest land in Baltal to the SASB that organises the annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine at Amarnath dedicated to Lord Shiva.
But Tuesday, the government backtracked and cancelled the allotment order, putting an end to a controversy that saw violent protests in the Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley last week.
But this in turn angered people in the Hindu-majority Jammu region, where authorities banned processions and assembly of more than four people to avoid further trouble.
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Indo-Asian News Service
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Wandhama echoes through the nation
Wandhama massacre refers to the worst massacre of Kashmiri Hindus, commonly known as the Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to flee Kashmir after selective killings of members of their community. Though a majority of them fled, some of the families chose to stay back. Wandhama massacre refers to the gunning down of 10 men, nine women and four children of four pandit families in village Wandhama in 1998 on the eve of Republic Day.
At a panel discussion in Delhi, Mukul Sharma, Head of Amnesty International, India, was bombarded with questions regarding the role of his agency in bringing retribution to the victims of the Wandhama massacre, he lamented the fact that the government had not let the UN special repertoire to investigate the situation in the valley, which continues to see human rights violations.
-Gautam Kaul, former D-G of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, gave the viewpoint from the law enforcing and investigating agencies. While listing several measures that should have been taken by the state police, he said the closing down of the case has made it all the more easier for the perpetrators to evade justice as an open case can always be cross referenced with new findings. He also said that the closing down of a case of such magnitude could not have been done without political will.
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Asha Khosa, a senior journalist who has covered the Wandhama incident extensively, said that it was up to the civil society to make sure that such incidents do not remain forgotten.
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Tarun Vijay, former editor of the Panchjanya, predictably lamented the fact that the existence of Hinduism in the valley has now been forgotten.
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In Hyderabad, Kashmiri Pandits held an information dissemination event outside the CM’s camp office and handed the CM a letter requesting him to recommend the re-opening of Wandhama massacre inquiry by CBI, to the Central Government.
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In Pune too, a two day photo exhibition preceded by a press conference was organized to raise awareness about this massacre and to demand the reopening the case and a CBI investigation.
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Strange as it may seem, no one has even been arrested, said Rahul Kaul, a young activist.
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‘What is truly bizarre is the fact that the local police have closed the case citing non-traceability of the killers’.
Monday, June 23, 2008
HYDERABAD
Friday, June 20,2008
NEW DELHI: Ten years have passed but the Union home ministry says it does not have any details on the Wandhama massacre in which 23 people were killed, reportedly by terrorists, in Jammu and Kashmir. The home ministry’s surprising reply came in response to an application under the Right to Information Act about the 1998 killings.The home ministry merely claims it was aware of the Wandhama massacre in the reply to Mr Aditya Raj Kaul, a Kashmiri activist based in Delhi. The ministry has not answered questions on details of the victims and the terrorists involved in the attack. The applicant had sought to know the names of those killed, their gender, age, and the time and day of the massacre. None of these were provided by the ministry. Asked about follow-up action by the local police after the massacre, the home ministry replied: "This information is not available with the Central government."It repeated the same answer when asked what prevented the local police from making further progress while remaining silent on whether the local police had closed the case.The ministry has replied "No" to a question on whether there was any move to hand over the case to the CBI or any other investigating agency. The ministry also said that the applicant should seek information about the massacre from the Jammu and Kashmir government, which is the right authority, but added that the Central act on Right to Information is not applicable to Jammu and Kashmir.The Wandhama massacre took place on the eve of Republic Day in 1998. The J&K media recently quoted the SHO of Wandhama as saying the case had been closed as the perpetrators of the massacre could not be traced.
ASIAN AGE
Priyanka Sarkar New Delhi
Even after more than a decade, the scar of the Wandhama massacre is still afresh in the mind and soul of Kashmiri Hindus. On the occasion of World Refugee Day in Kashmir, a frontline group of the Kashmiri Pundits presented an audio-visual presentation and a panel discussion focusing on the Wandhama Massacre. The panel consisted of eminent personalities from all the spheres including members from the media, Human Rights and Former Director of ITBP.
The panel of guest speakers spoke about negligence done in such case and emphasised the need of making a link of communication with the victims. Media person, Asha Khosa, cited an incident while she was reporting for a national daily. "It was a barbaric scenario that one can cite ever," she said at the panel discussion organised by Roots in Kashmir on Friday evening.
"Life is miserable over there and people are so poor that they can't even move out of that place," she added. After so much of security and high alerts, the question still remains, "Will I ever be able to live my life without the fear of terrorists?" She recounted the horror which has failed to be erased from the minds of victims of the massacre. The panelists including former ITBP director general Gautam Kaul, journalists Tarun Vijay and Asha Khosa discussed on prevention of such attacks in future.
The massacre refers to the murder of Kashmiri Hindus in the town of Wandhama on the intervening night of January 25, 1998. It was one of the worst incidents carried out by militants in Kashmir. It was an illustration of the Kashmir militants policy of ethnic cleansing. The victims, included four children, nine women and ten men. Those who were killed were among the handful of Kashmiri Pundits who had chosen to stay back after the mass evacuation of half a million of their kin due to ethnic cleansing carried out by Pakistan sponsored terrorist in the Kashmir valley in 1989-90.
What however is truly tragic is the fact that the local police have closed the Wandhama Massacre case citing the reason that the killers are untraceable. Sub Divisional police officer Ganderbal Showkat Ahmad who was the then Station House Officer for the area reportedly said, "the case has been closed, as no one was identified as the killer of the Pundits." No one has been convicted for the massacre till date.
Tarun Vijay said that it is time to ponder into the reason as to why such massacres take place. "Instead of just having panel discussions, it is time we should come on board and discuss what needs to be done to prevent such incidents. What is the politics behind it and what are the political pressures. It is only through these efforts that we will be able to give them what they've lost," Vijay said.
PIONEER
Wandhama massacre remembered
NEW DELHI, JUN 20 (PTI)
Marking World Refugee Day, "Roots in Kashmir" a group of Kashmiri Pandits, today organised a panel discussion on the 1998 Wandhama massacre when 23 members of the community were killed by militants.
Panelists including former ITBP director general Gautam Kaul, journalists Tarun Vijay and Asha Khosa discussed on prevention of such attacks in future.
The Wandhama massacre took place on the intervening night of January 25. Twenty-three Pandits were killed by militants.
No one has been convicted for the massacre till date.
OUTLOOK
Monday, June 2, 2008
WANDHAMA MASSACRE-THE FORGOTTEN HUMAN TRAGEDY
Truly bizarre is the fact that the Local Police have closed the Wandhama Massacre case citing “un-traceablility of the killers as the reason for closing the case”.Read it here.
2. Smt. Choti
3. Sh. Sanjay Kumar
4. Ms. Seema Kumari
5. Ms. Sarika
6. Ms. Vijay Kumari
7. Sh. Venan Kumar
8. Ms. Neema
9. Sh. Kashi Nath
10. Sh. Vinod Kumar
11. Sh. Shaadi Lal
12. Smt. Shaadi lal
13. Sh. Vikas
14. Sh. Akshay
15. Sh. Badri Nath
16. Smt. Ashaji
17. Sh. Vinod Kumar
18. Ms. Jyoti
19. Ms. Meenakshi
20. Sh. Rakesh
21. Sh. Vishnu Bhat
22. Smt. Dulari
23. Sh. Trilokinath
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Dainik Jaagran's front page story on Yasin Malik
यासीन मलिक के काले कारनामों से केंद्र अनजान!May 06, 02:23 am
संदीप देव, [नई दिल्ली]। यासीन मलिक, जम्मू कश्मीर लिबरेशन फ्रंट [जेकेएलएफ] का वह नेता, जिसके डर से कभी कश्मीर घाटी थर्राती थी..जो कभी कश्मीरी पंडितों के लिए आतंक का दूसरा नाम था.. जिस पर तत्कालीन गृह मंत्री मुफ्ती मोहम्मद सईद की बेटी रूबिया सईद के अपहरण और एयरफोर्स के चार निहत्थे जवानों को सरेआम गोलियों से भूनने का मामला आज भी लंबित है..! आपको जानकार आश्चर्य होगा कि केंद्र सरकार यासीन मलिक के इन काले कारनामों से अनजान है! हालांकि सरकार के इस झूठ का पुलिंदा सीबीआई की एक रिपोर्ट से जाहिर हो जाती है!
'रूट इन कश्मीर' के सक्रिय कार्यकर्ता रशनीक खेर द्वारा सूचना के अधिकार के तहत यासीन मलिक पर दर्ज मुकदमे के संबंध में मांगी गई जानकारी के जवाब में गृह मंत्रालय ने कहा है कि ऐसी कोई जानकारी मंत्रालय के कश्मीर डिवीजन के पास नहीं मौजूद नहीं है। सरकार के इस झूठ का पर्दाफाश उस वक्त हो गया जब एक अन्य आरटीआई के जवाब में सीबीआई ने यासीन मलिक पर दर्ज दो हाई प्रोफाइल मामले की जानकारी दी। सीबीआई की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक यासीन मलिक पर जम्मू की टाडा अदालत में एयरफोर्स पर्सनल मर्डर केस /90-एससीयू.वी/एससीआर-2) एवं डा. रूबिया सईद अपहरण (7(एस/90-एससीयू.वी/एससीआर-2)) का मामला लंबित है। इन दोनों मामलों में पिछले 18 साल से यासीन मलिक के खिलाफ आरोप तय नहीं हुआ है और तो और यासीन मलिक को सरकार ने पासपोर्ट भी जारी किया हुआ है, जिस पर वह अमेरिका तक की यात्रा कर चुका है। महत्वपूर्ण है कि यदि किसी व्यक्ति पर आतंकी गतिविधियों में संलिप्त होने का मामला दर्ज है तो उसे पासपोर्ट एक्ट के तहत पासपोर्ट जारी नहीं किया जा सकता है। इस संबंध में पूछे गए सवाल पर गृह मंत्रालय का जवाब है कि यासीन मलिक को राज्य सरकार व सीआईडी की संस्तुति पर पासपोर्ट जारी किया गया है।
ज्ञात हो कि 8 दिसंबर 1989 को जब तत्कालीन गृह मंत्री मुफ्ती मोहम्मद सईद की बेटी डा. रूबिया सईद का जेकेएलएफ के आतंकियों ने अपहरण कर लिया था। उसे छुड़ाने के एवज में सरकार को चार खूंखार आतंकियों को रिहा करना पड़ा था। इसी तरह 25 जनवरी 1990 को एयरफोर्स के चार जवानों को कश्मीर के एक बस स्टैंड पर जेकेएलएफ के आतंकियों ने गोलियों से भून दिया था। चारों निहत्थे जवान बस पर चढ़ने के लिए खड़े थे। दोनों मामले में सीबीआई ने यासीन मलिक के खिलाफ टाडा अदालत में चार्जशीट दाखिल कर रखा है, लेकिन मुकदमे में जानबूझ कर की जा रही देरी का नतीजा यह है कि उसके खिलाफ आज तक आरोप भी तय नहीं हो सका है। ज्ञात हो कि इसी तरह से जेकेएलएफ के एक अन्य आतंकी बिट्टा को 16 वर्ष जेल में रखने के बावजूद चार्जशीट तक फाइल नहीं किया गया था। सरकार ने उसे पैरोल पर छोड़ा और उसके बाद से वह गायब है।
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Press Coverage on Navreh
The Times of India(Delhi Edition)-
The Indian Express - http://www.kashmirlive.com/story/Ringing-in-the-New-Year-Kashmiri-style/294137.html
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Roots in Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandit youth initiative, in association with Kashmiri Seva Samaj had organized the celebration of the Kashmiri New Year or Navreh for the second year in a row. The celebrations began at 2.30 pm on Sunday afternoon and ended on Monday morning with an aarti at Sharika Devi’s temple up on Hari Parbat, Faridabd.
Both of them reminded the Pandits to revive their unique culture through events such as this and appreciated the efforts of the younger generations.
More than the cultural programmes was the spirit of togetherness that was seen shared among the people there as families sat on the lawns modelled on the famous Badam Vari or almond garden of Kashmir, as they lay down their sheets and shared home-made Kashmiri food they also shared old memories of the past when they used to celebrate new year in their homeland. The most common refrain among seen each other was ‘where have you been all this time’.
While the numbers dwindled out into the night, the zest was still there as Kashmiri singers sung songs of all moods, often ending in people letting their hair down and dancing to the tunes. It was quite a sight to see people of all ages attempting a ‘roff’ the traditional arm in arm dance of Kashmir to songs like the original folk version of the Bollywood number Bhumbro Bhumbro.
The all night long celebration ended with an aarti early in the morning to bring in a pious start to the New Year.
http://www.theshadow.in/theshadow/newsdet.aspx?q=657
The Daily Shadow(J&K)
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http://www.earlytimes.in/
The Early Times(J&K)
Navreh Celebrations at Hari Parvat,Anangpur,Faridabad
Legendary Kashmiri Singer Kailash Mehra enthralling the audiences..... She brought the past back to us....From Naem Saab's Bedardi Dade Chane to Krishaan Joo Razdan's Bel tay Madal it was journey of nostalgia but with Sahebo Sat Cham mae Chaane it was a voice of hope...
And she bade farewell for now with Paertho Gilas-e-kuleney Tal
and Sh.J.N.Kaul blesses Kailash Mehra...
Roots in Kashmir unveiling its New Logo
Ravi Bhan singing Moti Lal Saqi's"Ganemat Sham-e-Gham"
A section of the Audience....Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Dalai Lama sends good wishes to RIK on Navreh
-Monday, March 31, 2008
Navreh Celebrations
in association with
Kashmiri Sewak Samaj,Faridadad
announces the celebration of the Navreh (the Kashmiri New Year) on 6th of April,08 (Sunday).
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We are here to live and return to the Roots.
Roots in Kashmir extends a warm invitation to everyone to be a part of the celebrations.
http://www.rootsinkashmir.org/press/mar182007youthfestival.php
For any information/assistance please feel free to contact
Vinod Bhan:9910253637
Amal Magazine:9873900479
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Director Shekhar Kapur on Terrorist Yasin Malik at the India Today Conclave
Later as I was having tea with Priety Zinta she also expressed apprehensions about being on the same platform as Yasin. her father died in the Army and her brother has been fighting and risking his life in Kashmir.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Kashmiri Pandits launch signature campaign against Yasin Malik
By Sarwar Kashani
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS)
An online signature campaign by exiled Kashmiri Hindus against militant-turned-politician Yasin Malik is receiving an overwhelming response from the community the world over. Close to 550 signatures from Kashmiri Pandits have been registered at http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?ymalik8 seeking “just trial” of the cases pending against Malik, chairman of the pro-independent Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
A US-based Kashmiri Pandit is behind the campaign that was launched Saturday when Malik was in Delhi to address the “Youth Forum - If I Could Change The World”, organised by the India Today media group.
Inviting Malik to address youth had apparently angered the Kashmiri Pandit activists, prompting them to also hold protests, besides the online campaign.
The JKLF chairman is accused of masterminding the killing of many Kashmiri Pandits in the late 1980s and the early 1990s that led to the exodus of around 300,000 ethnic Hindus from the terror- hit valley.
There are dozens of cases pending against him, which are currently under Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
The cases include the killing of four Indian Air Force officers in 1989 and the murder of Lassa Koul, director, Radio Kashmir, Srinagar, in 1990.
Malik is also accused of masterminding the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of then union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
The Kashmiri separatist leader, who gave up armed struggle in 1994 and re-launched the freedom movement from a political platform, was arrested in these cases but was set free for want of evidence against him.
However, the Pandit activists allege that the government has been too soft on Malik and no proper trial has been conducted to “give justice to the hundreds of families of the victims”.
“We believe the cases against Malik did not have a fair trial. We wonder how he is roaming free, travelling abroad on an Indian passport,” Rashneek Kher, a Delhi-based activist, told IANS.
“The families that fell victim to Malik’s await justice and in fact nobody listens to their plight,” said Kher, who also registered his signature in the online campaign.
Rahul Thathoo, the California-based student who initiated the signature campaign, said: “There is no crime known to mankind that Yasin Malik has not been involved in. You name it and he has done it all…killings, kidnappings, hawala, gun running.
“He and his JKLF goons are singularly responsible for the largest forced exodus of the modern history - that of the Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley,” Thathoo said inviting signatures.
Many others have also written their comments alongside their signatures on the website.
A.K. Raina said: “They (militants) meet the criteria laid by the UN as unlawful combatants, and not just ordinary criminals, who are involved in heinous crimes against peaceful citizens resulting in their ethnic cleansing and other worst crimes against humanity.”
“They need to be tried as warlords, criminals as in 9/11 (terror strike in the US), London blasts, Sydney swoop etc.”
S.R. Kaul said: “Yasin Malik and many like him would have been non-entities if the government (of India) had sincere intentions of eliminating the menace of terrorism in the country.”
“Yasin Malik should condemn terrorism and condone for being an agent of terrorism. He should apologise for having killed innocent Kashmiri Pandits,” Brij Krishen Moza said in his comments.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
A letter to Aroon Purie from an anonymous Kashmiri Pandit
India Today readers have always looked at it as a load star, which guidesthe people by presenting dispassionate critiques of the unfolding events week after week. People also hold the India Today group in high esteem forits innovative forays in to music, publication, and electronic media and above all for its highly stimulating annual conclaves. Most of us have always admired India Today for consistently bringing together some of thesharpest brains and achievers who through their individual contributionshave made tremendous difference in the lives of millions of people.I need to compliment you once again for your vision of selecting some of theworld's great achievers for the forth coming India Today Conclave. Most ofthe selected panelists are truly visionaries with capabilities of affectingvery positive changes in the society through the execution of their dreams.However, your selection of Yaseen Malik as on of the youth icons who can make a difference is simply baffling. I am sure this name must have shocked a vast number of your admirers. I would reckon the selection of Yaseen Malik as one of the panelists represents either a great goof up at India today or the naivety of its selectors. In either case, this reflects poorly on the institution known for its untiring fairness, fearless objectivity and tireless crusades.I don't have access to the old copies of India Today pertaining to theperiod when militancy, extremism and fundamentalism raised their ugly heads in Kashmir. But I recall during those dark days in Kashmir when all layers of social and state apparatus seemed to be under subversion, it was onlyIndia Today which brought us a true picture of the happenings around us.Please visit some of the early 1990 issues of India Today and you will find buried under the pages some of the boldest voices of those days. Wasn't it India Today, which suggested, "Govt. of India should seriously consider cutting off water and electricity supplies to mosques and other institutionsin Kashmir that utilize their premises for launching anti-national activities?" And if you dig a little further in your archives, you willfind that much before Hizbul Mujahideen, All Umar, Jihadi Council, Harkat ulAnsaar, Al Qaeeda and many other dreadful militant organizations came into existence, JKLF had already wrought havoc in Kashmir and had even forced an entire Kashmiri Pandit population to flee their ancestral home land. I am sure India Today hasn't forgotten the connection between Yaseen Malik and JKLF.I know it is like showing candle to the sun, but I need to remind you about pending TADA cases against Malik. As an institution, which brought about a paradigm shift in the way Indians analyzed the socio-political events and as magazine that takes pride in tracking down its old covers whenever it does asimilar lead story, India Today can't have forgotten Malik's self admitted role in killing of four unarmed Indian Air Force personnel. It would also be aware of his role in Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping.In your introduction Malik has been described as championing the return ofdisplaced Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland. Nothing can be morepreposterous than this suggestion. I am sorry to state; India today has insulted the sensitivity of hundreds and thousands of displaced Kashmiri Pandits by crediting the man singularly responsible for their exodus as their sympathizer. Knowing the reputation of India Today in being strictly objective about its stories, I would have expected you to employ your own editorial principles while writing about Malik.I would once again credit you for assembling a group of real visionaries forthe forthcoming conclave. For them it is definitely an equal measure of honour to be addressing the conclave as the matter of prestige for you.
Given the amount of reputation and prestige enjoyed by India Today, yourparticipants would have blindly agreed to be the part of the event. By making them to share the stage with a person, who after Hitler, is perhapsthe biggest killer of humanity, India Today will be making the conclave all the more eventful for these modern day icons.Your distinguished guests are an admirable group of achievers, who have attained iconic stature through their principles, honesty and hard work.They are the real loadstars to who the future generations will look forinspiration, guidance and motivation. Posterity will remember them for theirimmense contribution towards humanity. They have excelled in theirrespective fields while playing the game fair and square. Al Gore, MukeshAmbani, Satguru Jagi, Sunil Mittal, Dr. Craig Venter and many others on your panel will be remembered by many generations for their contributions towardsmaking our world a better place to live in. These eminent people have alwayslet their concern for the society dictate their philosophy and actions. You have really pulled a coup by making these distinguished personalities share space with a person, who has exhibited a callous disregard for fellowcitizens by presiding over the forceful exodus of an entire community. And that too for the reasons of faith and religion.Mr. Purie, I don't occupy a pedestal from where I can demand your withdrawal of invitation to Yaseen Malik. I can only leave that to your discretion.But, I am sure my entire displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and majority ofIndians would feel insulted if Yaseen Malik is allowed to preach hishollowed principles and constructed ideology from the pedestals of the conclave. You may have your compulsions and external pressures in grantinghim such a privilege but please don't preach that Malik is concerned aboutthe return of Pandits to their homeland. Nothing can be more fallacious and derogatory than this.I feel the forthcoming India Today Conclave is test of credibility for yourinstitution. After all, it is you who has labeled a religious fundamentalist, a hardcore extremist and a perpetrator of genocide on an ethnic minority as a greatest leader. I don't understand if this is a weird joke or an indication of India Today's sense of judgment gone bizarre.Mr. Purie, as a patriotic Indian and as a small individual who has also contributed in making India Today what it is today, I demand an explanation.