J&K: Parties up in arms against Composite townships for 'Kashmiri Pandits'

New Delhi, April 8: Political parties of Jammu and kashmir have slammed State Government which has announced that a composite townships will be developed for displaced Kashmiri pandit.

Terming the step a conspiracy against Muslims', Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik said that party will oppose any such move by the Government.

Stepping up the ante, the party has even announced a protest march and shutdown over the issue.

Reportedly, the National Conference has also termed the move dangerous for integrity of state and the country."We don't believe in separate homeland and National Conference (NC) does not support it. Centre's decision is not important. It should be accepted by the people. What is the purpose if it creates differences among the people of the Valley," senior NC leader Ali Mohammed Sagar said.

Hardline Hurriyat Conference termed setting up of proposed separate townships for Kashmiri pandits as "surrender by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed before the Centre.

"The surrender of Sayeed before Home Minister Rajnath Singh over setting up of separate townships for Kashmiri pandits is surprising and unfortunate," Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani said in a statement.

Earlier, Mufti Government announced that it will provide land for township to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits in the State.

When asked about the issue, PDP spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar had said, "What we have said is very clear. It is going to be a composite township, everybody must understand the meaning of the word composite - we are bound to bring back Kashmiri Pandits, who are a part of our life, with honour and dignity, we are incomplete without them, we will get them back with honour and dignity. And it is not a time-bound process".

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to provide land for composite townships for Kashmiri Pandits in the state, an official release said.

Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits-Tale of pain and agony

• Agony of kashmiri Pandits can be gauged from the fact that they are like refugee in their own land.
• Lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits had to leave their home and homeland in ninties just to save themselves from the cruelty at the hands of Islamic militants. In 1989-1990, terrorism in Kashmir valley was on top.
• On the name of ethnic cleansing by Muslim terrorist large number of Pandits were brutally killed .
• Out of fear that they will be killed if stay in valley they took this hard decision with heavy heart. on January 19, 1990 a largest exodus happened and the day is still commemorated as Holocaust Day by these migrants .
• According to official data quoted by Indian express, at present as many as 59,442 Kashmiri Pandit families have been registered as migrants with 38,119 registered in Jammu, 19,338 in Delhi and 1,985 in the rest of the country. Though the real number will be many more.