UJC chief asks separatists to meet KPs, address their problems

Srinagar, Jun 3 (UNI) United Jehad Council (UJC) chairman Syed Salahuddin has called upon the separatists to take personal interest in addressing the problems of those Kashmiri Pandits who decided to stay back in the Valley when militancy erupted in late 1980s.

In a statement here from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) capital Muzaffarabad, he expressed solidarity and sympathy with the Kashmiri Pandits residing in the Valley.

Salahuddin, who also heads the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen said the separatists, particularly breakaway Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, should establish contacts with them and get their problems resolved at the earliest.

''We are duty bound to watch and protect the lives, properties, honour and every legitimate interest of 952 families of Kashmiri Pandits who did not leave their motherland when hundreds of their fellow community members migrated to other places,'' he added.

''We are grateful from the core of our hearts to those Kashmiri Pandits who did not fall into the trap and instead practiced communal harmony and pro-movement attitudes. But, those who migrated shattered the trust of Muslims and sentiments of mutual brotherhood,'' Salahuddin said.

The UJC chief claimed that there have been more than 37,000 communal riots throughout India after 1947, but not a single one in Jammu and Kashmir.

''Ours was the only area where the Muslim majority took great care of Hindu minority, protected their honour and expressed sympathies and solidarity with them on their festivals,'' he added.

Salahuddin cautioned that some extremist Hindu groups, which were out to get the ''freedom movement'' in Jammu and Kashmir branded as ''terrorism'' could resort to ''terrorist acts'' to create a wedge and hatred between the Muslims and the Kashmiri Pandits.

''Therefore. the people of Jammu and Kashmir and freedom fighters should always be watchful of this conspiracy and maintain communal harmony and brotherly atmosphere in the state,'' he added.

Earlier, the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, an organisation of the Kashmir-based Pandits, accused the state government of treating them as ''second-class citizens'' and decided to approach the UJC chairman and Mr Geelani for redressal of their problems.

''The state government has muzzled the voice of Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley. Several Kashmiri Pandit organisations operating outside the state accuse us of being traitors because we did not migrate when others left Kashmir for other parts of the country in early 1990s,'' Samiti president S Kumar said.

He said the Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley for the past 18 years were facing tremendous problems and also alleged that several old temples have been looted by vested interests.

About 952 Kashmiri Pandit families comprising 4000 people were living in various parts of the Valley, Mr Kumar said, adding the Kashmiri Pandits have now decided to approach the Hizb chief and Mr Geelani through media to apprise them about their numerous problems and seek immediate redressal of their woes.

UNI