I availed an opportunity
to meet various sec-
tions of the people of my community from the last two and a half months in marriage functions. Hawans, Yagno-pavit ceremonies and other religious congregations at Jammu, Delhi, NCR and other parts of the country which helped me to interact with them and even to peep into their hearts to know their views and inner feelings about present status of the community on the whole as well as their choice in respect of their return to Kashmir Valley, abrogation of Article 370, Prime-ministers relief package to KP's on their return to the valley, erosion of socio-religious fabrics, community evils and other problems.
In large my respected community brothers, intellectuals, thinkers and well-wishers of the community in general viewed that they would likely to go back only and when the Kashmir issue is permanently settled, However carving out a consolidated place at the "land of Kashyap" in Kashmir Valley with writ of Indian Constitution, with all powers, privileges and space to contribute for the development of the community and progress of the country is only viable solution to settle KP's in the valley. Till such time displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits need to be settled qasi-permanently at the present place of stay with economic, educational and employment facilities, other rights and privileged to live some sort of Hon'ble life. They also commented about Article 370 and termed it a route cause for KP,s exodus from the valley and its abrogation would be in the larger interest of the state, country and in particular for Kashmiri Pandits who have been suffering from majoritarianism and mobocracy of Kashmiri muslims from decades of time
They further opined that the prime-minister's economic package should be de-linked form return module and its benefits to be given at their present locations. They said that KP's have become a target of political conspiracy from time to time which should not be allowed to get repeated again. Besides, to check and defeat all those external, internal and intera-community enemies who are bent up to damage the over all community interests of Kashmiri Pandits for their personal and party interests. They have also expressed their dismay and anger over groupism within the community and for not forging unity among various KP organizations under minimum common programme of the community for the over all interest of Kashmiri Pandit Samaj. Some wished that PM package employees to be adjusted in safer zones of Jammu and over average youths to be rehabilitated properly. Some relief holders wanted consolidated payment of relief.
While commenting over importance of socio-religious issues and other evils of the community, these respected community members are feeling distressed watching and culture diluted, rituals disrespected, festivals loosing its sanctity and morality degrading day by day. They said every elder of the community has to become watch dog and have to educate all KP's, in particular youth to love and respect community ethos, principles, sanskar, preserve their culture, language, to shun one or two child norm, avoid intercast marriages and not ignore and isolate their parents and elders. They also wished to minimize and combine the chart of Hawan programmes with the sole aim to expand our unity and save our money for the welfare of the needy and ailing people of the community.
I, Kundan Kashmiri as community well-wisher and president of Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) endorse the above view points and collated opinion drawn from various section of the community. My individual opinion also centres round this conception. The responsible organizations, opinion makers, thinkers and intellectuals of the community should give thought towards it and not try to trevialize it in a fit of anger. Out right rejection is not the way of addressing serious issues like the one's we are faced with. Let us not give our destiny in the hands of those who have a little or no concern with it or have not touched to their skin.
Let us be our masters and shape our destiny with our own hands. There should also not any attempt to bulldoze the varying views, principles of free expression and the ideas which are over all benefiting the community. The better option at present with us is to forget and forgive and maintain unity in all conditions while community interest is at stake. Let us all live for the community and see it regains its lost glory and establish the fact that for all purposes we are superlative in deeds and actions. |
