Pandits submit memorandum at NHRC; Seek probe into killings

New Delhi, Dec 8 (UNI) Kashmiri Pandits today submitted a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission, demanding setting up of an inquiry commission to probe the killing of Pandits in Jammu and Kashmir and their subsequent mass exodus from the valley.

A delegation of ''Roots in Kashmir'', an initiative launched by Kashmiri Pandit Youth to highlight atrocities on the Hindu minority in the valley, also demanded that the displaced community be declared as 'Internally Displaced Person' as per the definition of the United Nations.

They accused successive Governments of having failed in protecting the human rights of the community, which is living in exile for the past 16 years.

''The Government has completely failed in convicting and punishing culprits involved in the mass massacre of the pandits. The Community is a victim of terrorism and callousness of successive governments,'' Roots in Kashmir coordinator Adiyta Raj Kaul said.

The Government, instead of protecting the temples and properties of the minority community, became a part of the organised groups to encroach on their properties, Mr Kaul alleged.

Members of the displaced community will stage a protest rally here on December 10 to highlight the violation of their human rights.

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,'' Mr Kaul said.

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.

Quoting from the inter-ministerial report, Mr Kaul 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.

He 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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