Kashmiri Pandits to hold protest protest on Human Rights day

New Delhi, Dec 7 (UNI) As Kashmiri Pandits complete 16 years in exile, members of the displaced community will stage a protest rally here on December 10 to highlight the violation of their human rights and the failure of successive governments to address their grievances.

Social and human rights activists, students, intellectuals and people from a cross-section of society will join the rally, to be held on the Human Rights Day.

Simultaneous protest rallies, under the aegis of ''Roots in Kashmir'' an initiative launched by Kashmiri Pandit youth, will be held in Hyderabad, Pune, Jammu and Baroda.

The Pandits are demanding resettlement of the community, restoration of their places of worship and other properties in the valley, greater employment opportunities for the community within and outside the state and an end to discriminatory policies of the government against them.

''The government has taken no steps to address the issues concerning the Pandits. Even the report of an inter-ministerial team sent by the Prime Minister to the Jammu-based migrant camp was ignored,'' said Mr Aditya Raj Kaul of the 'Roots in Kashmir'.

He said no steps have been initiated either by the Centre or the state government to ensure safe return of the Pandits, who have been living in abysmal conditions in the camps.

The state government is encroaching upon lands of the shrines temples and properties of the minority community in the state, Mr Kaul alleged.

''More than 300 temples have been desecrated and properties damaged in the valley. The government has turned a blind eye towards the community,'' he added.

Addressing a news conference with the rally organisers, author Shiv Khera said the issue of Kashmiri Pandits should be addressed as a national problem.

''Kashmir is an integral part of India and human rights violation of its citizens is a national issue. The collective conscious of the Indian nation should be awakened and public must be mobilised in support of their cause,'' he said.

''What Hitler did to the Jews pales in comparison to the atrocities committed on the Pandits,'' he added.

Quoting from the inter-ministerial report, Mr Khera said the number of state government employees from the community had reduced from 16,000 in 1990 to just 5708 in 2004.

''Only 300 displaced Hindus have been given employment during the past 16 years,'' he added.

The author said a large number of temples had been destroyed in the valley and villages re-named on Islamic themes.

He accused the State government of not providing the Hindu's with employment opportunities.

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