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| Separate Homeland for KPs: Community taken aback by BJP's stand | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, July 6: Bharatiya Janta Party's opposition to the demand of a separate homeland for migrated Kashmiri Pandits has opened a 'Pandora's Box' as the community members who are living in exile in different parts of the country have been left bewildered over the saffron party's fresh stand on the issue.
Kashmiri Pandits (KPs), who had to migrate from the valley in early 90s after the unrest gripped the entire Kashmir region, were pinning high hopes on the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to grant them a separate homeland within the Kashmir region. However, the statement of senior BJP leader and Co-incharge for J&K, RP Singh has stunned the community leadership, who refused to believe that one of the BJP leaders has actually stated that party has no plans for a separate homeland for KPs.
BJP leader Singh's remarks has perhaps stirred a hornet's nest as some of the KP leaders with whom Early Times spoke, minced no words in expressing their displeasure over the purported statement.
When contacted Convener Panun Kashmir, Dr Agnishekhar said that the statement of BJP leader came like a shocker for lakhs of exiled Kashmiri Pandits.
"The BJP's statement is not only surprising but shocking for all of us…. If remark of RP Singh is official line of the BJP then sorry to say that the party is no way different from its predecessor UPA government… BJP is saying that KPs are welcome to their homes but what is the difference when the likes of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yaseen Malik and Shabir Shah also make such appeals every now and then," said Dr Agnishekhar.
"BJP is also following the Nehruvian approach on Kashmir…. The BJP keeps on accusing Congress of appeasing Muslims but it looks like that party is also trying to appease separatists by issuing such statements…. Despite this statement we still believe that BJP would look into the KPs demand of separate homeland and their return to valley with a new perspective, he added.
When asked that what will be the course of action if the BJP adopts such a line pat came the reply from Dr Agnishekahr, "BJP is provoking Kashmiri Pandits to come on streets," adding that party is playing with fire by denying a separate homeland to KPs which is their ultimate goal.
Another Kashmiri Pandit leader Ashwani Chrungoo, President of Panun Kashmir, while speaking to Early Times was not that harsh on the statement of BJP leader but his discontent was quite noticeable as he rejected the statement outrightly by saying that it was out of context.
"We don't deem it (statement) fit to be considered worthy for any reaction… We would have reacted only if Prime Minister or Home Minister had stated this… RP Singh is no authority to make such statements," said Ashwani Chrungoo.
It is worthwhile to mention here that RP Singh yesterday in Srinagar had denied that BJP wanted a separate homeland for the Pandits in valley.
"Show me any document of BJP where we mentioned a separate homeland for Kashmiri Pandits… BJP has no such intention," said Singh while reacting sharply on Kashmir's Grand Mufti (Head Priest) Mufti Bashir-ud-Din's statement that the people of Kashmir would not accept separate homeland for the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community. |
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