Mistakes led to exodus of Kashmiri Hindus: Farooq Abdullah

Patna, Feb 20 (PTI) Union Minister and NationalConference leader Farooq Abdullah today said mistakescommitted in the past led to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindusfrom Jammu and Kashmir as also to the prevailing politicaluncertainty in the state.

"It is our fault as the Kashmiri Hindus have been madehomeless and forced to live outside," Abdullah said at anUrdu conference here.

He said it hurts him that his Kashmiri Hindu brothers andsisters have been forced to live in hot and humid weatherconditions elsewhere in the country, which they were not usedto, having been lived in cold climate.

He, however, did not elaborate on the "fault".

Many Kashmiri Hindus, particularly members of the Panditcommunity, were forced to leave the Valley by terroristsduring late 1980s and early 1990s.

Over one crore Kashmiri Muslims did not support theseparatists'' ideology and were actually paying a price fortheir stand, he said referring to militancy-related activitiesin his home state.

The Kashmiri Muslims have to endure harassment, wheneverPakistan-backed ultras do something in India, Abdullah said,adding, Jammu and Kashmir would never get separated fromIndia.