Dear Amit,
I am glad you have given me an opportunity to express my views about Kashmiri Pandits, since I have often been misunderstood by my Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters.
I condemn, and have always condemned, atrocities and oppression of anyone, whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian. I have spoken out against discrimination, harassment, and ill-treatment of Muslims in India, who are often branded as terrorists and falsely implicated in bomb blast and other incidents of violence, and they have to often spend several years in jail before being ultimately found innocent and acquitted. Muslims in India are often not given houses on rent, jobs or bank loans, and are often discriminated in other matters (see the Sachar Committee report in this connection). I have also spoken out against oppression and atrocities on Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadis, Shias in Pakistan. Often Hindus in Pakistan are abducted and have to pay ransom for their release. Many Hindus have been killed in Pakistan. Often Hindu girls are abducted and forcibly converted. Thousands of Hindus from Pakistan have fled into India because they could not tolerate the atrocities on them any longer.
In the same manner I condemn the atrocities on Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir from 1989 onwards. Kashmiri Pandits constituted a small minority in Kashmir (3% or so).They were a gentle peace loving people, but many were selectively targeted and slaughtered, their women often raped, and other atrocities committed on them, and ultimately they had to flee from their homeland out of fear. Since Kashmiri Pandits are only 5 lac or so in number in India they are not a big vote bank, and so hardly anyone lifted a finger when they were hounded out from their homeland. I am myself a Kashmiri Pandit, and though my ancestors had left the valley about 200 years ago (my wife's family remained in Kashmir till recent times, and many of her relatives have told me about the atrocities and indignities they had to suffer in Kashmir) I can fully understand their pain. I was therefore very sad when many Kashmiri Pandits attacked me when I spoke out against Narendra Modi for what he did to Muslims in Gujrat in 2002. These persons said that Modi helped Kashmiri Pandits who had been displaced. Does this justify slaughter of thousands of Muslims in 2002 ? All the perfumes of Arabia will not wipe away the stain on Modi for what was done to Muslims then.
Although I am a Kashmiri Pandit, I am an Indian first, and as I have explained in my article 'What is India' (see my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in as well as the video on the website kgfindia.com), India has tremendous diversity (because it is broadly a country of immigrants). Hence the only way to keep it united and take it on the path of prosperity is secularism and giving equal respect to all communities and sections of society.
A hallmark of a civilized society is that minorities therein are able to live a life of dignity and equality. From that point of view both India and Pakistan fail the test.
I regard 99% people of all communities, whether Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, etc to be good, but the 1% mischievous people are often successful in misguiding the 99% and make Hindus and Muslims fight with each other It is high time now that the 99% see through this game.
I am glad you have given me an opportunity to express my views about Kashmiri Pandits, since I have often been misunderstood by my Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters.
I condemn, and have always condemned, atrocities and oppression of anyone, whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian. I have spoken out against discrimination, harassment, and ill-treatment of Muslims in India, who are often branded as terrorists and falsely implicated in bomb blast and other incidents of violence, and they have to often spend several years in jail before being ultimately found innocent and acquitted. Muslims in India are often not given houses on rent, jobs or bank loans, and are often discriminated in other matters (see the Sachar Committee report in this connection). I have also spoken out against oppression and atrocities on Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmadis, Shias in Pakistan. Often Hindus in Pakistan are abducted and have to pay ransom for their release. Many Hindus have been killed in Pakistan. Often Hindu girls are abducted and forcibly converted. Thousands of Hindus from Pakistan have fled into India because they could not tolerate the atrocities on them any longer.
In the same manner I condemn the atrocities on Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir from 1989 onwards. Kashmiri Pandits constituted a small minority in Kashmir (3% or so).They were a gentle peace loving people, but many were selectively targeted and slaughtered, their women often raped, and other atrocities committed on them, and ultimately they had to flee from their homeland out of fear. Since Kashmiri Pandits are only 5 lac or so in number in India they are not a big vote bank, and so hardly anyone lifted a finger when they were hounded out from their homeland. I am myself a Kashmiri Pandit, and though my ancestors had left the valley about 200 years ago (my wife's family remained in Kashmir till recent times, and many of her relatives have told me about the atrocities and indignities they had to suffer in Kashmir) I can fully understand their pain. I was therefore very sad when many Kashmiri Pandits attacked me when I spoke out against Narendra Modi for what he did to Muslims in Gujrat in 2002. These persons said that Modi helped Kashmiri Pandits who had been displaced. Does this justify slaughter of thousands of Muslims in 2002 ? All the perfumes of Arabia will not wipe away the stain on Modi for what was done to Muslims then.
Although I am a Kashmiri Pandit, I am an Indian first, and as I have explained in my article 'What is India' (see my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in as well as the video on the website kgfindia.com), India has tremendous diversity (because it is broadly a country of immigrants). Hence the only way to keep it united and take it on the path of prosperity is secularism and giving equal respect to all communities and sections of society.
A hallmark of a civilized society is that minorities therein are able to live a life of dignity and equality. From that point of view both India and Pakistan fail the test.
I regard 99% people of all communities, whether Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, etc to be good, but the 1% mischievous people are often successful in misguiding the 99% and make Hindus and Muslims fight with each other It is high time now that the 99% see through this game.
