Govt failed to protect us: Kashmiri Pandits

New Delhi, Jan 21: The Kashmiri Samiti has alleged that the ''exodus'' of the Kashmiri Pandits from their homeland in the strife-torn Valley was still continuing even 18 years after majority of the community members migrated to several parts of the country following the outbreak of militancy in late 1980s.

''This continuing exodus has severely affected the community psyche and seriously endangered its identity and cultural roots,'' Samiti president Dr L N Dhar said in a press release here. The Kashmiri Samiti organised a candle light demonstration at Jantar Mantar here on January 20 to mark the 18th anniversary of the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the troubled Valley in 1990. ''This one single event denotes the failure of both the central and the state governments to protect their citizens,'' he alleged.

Dr Dhar said the candle light demonstration was organised to awaken the public opinion about the failure of the government to protect its citizens.

UNI