Stop relief, rehabilitate us where we are living: KPs to Center

Jammu, 19 Aug (UNI) Kashmiri Pandits today demanded immediate rehabilitation of the displaced community at their present place of stay where they had migrated to from the Valley.

The Kashmiri Samiti, a forefront organisation of Kashmiri Pandits in national capital, said the Centre should stop all relief measures for the displaced Pandits and rehabilitate them at their present place of stay.

''We don't want money or other relief which we are getting from the government. We want the respectful settlement of entire community living in Jammu, Delhi and other parts of the country where we are staying,'' said L N Dhar, president of the Samiti, along with general secretary Rakesh Koul, at a press conference here.

''We have lost our homes, properties in Kashmir during militancy, so rehabilitate us like migrants from Pakistan, who had been resettled in 1947 at different parts of the country, including Delhi,'' he added.

He claimed Kashmiri Pandits are not migrants as they are being called by the government and other agencies.

''We had been displaced in late 1989s and early 1990s therefore we should be called as 'internally displaced community,'' he demanded.

Mr Dhar, however, said, ''there is no likelihood of Kashmir issue getting resolved and consequently our return to the Valley is not possible unless the situation is conducive which is subject to the permanent settlement of the issue and our acceptance to such a settlement.'' He expressed discontentment to the Centre's movement to construct 5000 flats for Kashmir Pandits at Jagti near Nagrota. ''We don't want two-room flats; we want a plot and a special resettlement economic package,'' he added.

Terming separate home land for Kashmri Pandits as a political agenda of Panun Kashmir, he said all 3.5 lakhs Kashmiri Pandits should be resettled as 'internally displaced community.' UNI