Kashmiri Pandits belong to their motherland as do Kashmiri Muslims who
lived side by side in their Vale for centuries and shared cultural
bonding unequivocally unmatched in other societies wherein Pandits
visited Dargahs and Shrines of revered sufi saints while Muslims too
celebrated Heerath and other festivals with them. On Heerath, Pandits
keep a day for Muslims by the name of Salaam so as to wish them on the
grand occasion. Similarly, Pandits would throng Muslims households on
Eid to wish them with sweets and offer Eidi to their kids. However,
this bonhomie and brotherhood was shattered and decimated in 1989 and
after as Pandits had to migrate or flee to Jammu and other states
where they started their life anew after spending whatever they had on
home and education in Kashmir. The nightmare and trauma they underwent
in migrant camps is unparalleled and would go down in the history of
Kashmir as black day/days for the misery they were subjected to as
they had to leave behind everything and settle in refugee camps. Their
apathy is genuinely reflected in their anger as one must imagine the
situation they were forced in for no reason or rhyme of theirs. It
were Kashmiri Muslim politicians who enjoyed power in corridors of
Delhi and Srinagar and pushed the entire generations to corner through
art of deceit and deception and continue to do so at the cost of
gullible Kashmiris by playing with the sentiments of Valley people who
have been always sensitive and emotional to political issues. Whatever
the reasons for their exodus, the majority community then and now have
a role to ensure their return irrespective of government interference
for they have to live with their Muslim neighbours or even work or
study with them. Any move to isolate or ghettoize can’t work in
Kashmiriyat as it stands for unity of Kashmiris irrespective of their
faith. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking action to rehabilitate
Pandits in their roots by providing various incentives for their
return as announced in Parliament where it was announced that as many
as 1, 678 Kashmiri migrants have returned to Kashmir after the
abrogation of Article 370 for taking up jobs under the Prime
Minister's Development Package-2015. Union Minister of State for Home
Nityanand Rai also said that as per information provided by the
government of Jammu and Kashmir, the land of 150 applicants has been
restored.