NEW DELHI: Hundreds of people on Friday joined a protest demonstration organised by several groups of Kashmiri Pandits at Jantar Mantar here and demanded the government of India recognise the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus, take measures to punish the perpetrators, and move away from tokenism.
The demonstrators demanded the government to officially recognise that Kashmiri Hindus are victims of genocide, form the Genocide Commission to fast track the cases and identify the perpetrators of genocide and enact a bill for the prevention of genocide in the future, as per a release issued by the organisers.
They also demanded the creation of ‘One Place Settlement’ in Kashmir in line with Panun Kashmir Resolution of 1991 to ensure safe return of Pandits to the Valley.
Speaking to media persons, Sumeer Chrungoo, President of Kashmir Samiti, Delhi, said, “If the government is really serious about the return of Kashmiri Pandits, than first and foremost thing it has to do is to recognise that Kashmiri Pandits are a the victims of genocide.”
17-year-old Neal Pandita leading the group of youngsters wanted that the judiciary immediately act on the petition filed a Kashmiri Pandits to fast track the cases of killings and form a Special Investigation Team (SIT). “Any delay in justice weakens the faith of youngsters in the justice delivery system and mechanism,” he said.
Shilpi, a young student, who along with her friends had flown from Mumbai to be part of the protest, said that the happenings in Kashmir is an eye opening for all. “If we don’t punish the perpetrators, it will embolden the anti-India and jihadi forces to replicate the same across India,” she told the demonstrators.
Kashi Ram, a rickshaw puller, had decided to forego his daily wage to participate in the protest.
Some Muslims were also part of the protest. Jahangir, a 40 years old Kashmiri Muslim, said that Kashmiri Muslims had also suffered in the hands of militants.
“Jihadis used our mosques against Pandits, committed heinous crimes against them. The truth is that our mosques, our relatives, our friends were spewing venom against the Kashmiri Pandit community and we were mute spectators in agreement to the genocide that was being committed,” he said.
He said that it was wrong to blame then Governor Jagmohan for not being able to stop atrocities against Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 and called upon all Kashmiris to stand up for ensuring justice to Pandits.