The disturbances within the social fabric of the Valley was met with some excesses from the Indian security forces. At first Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), the founding leader of Jamat opposed direct involvement as it would destroy the organization and open it to Indian assault by security forces. Sanjay Tickoo, a Kashmiri Pandit was barely 20-years-old in 1989-90, when he witnessed what came to be known as the "Kashmiri Pandit Exodus". Here's a look at the actual timeline of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus, and how The Kashmir Files departs from history at certain points. She writes on South Asian political and security issues. Agnihotri's rendition of the exodus, which claims that it is "based on true stories," however, makes a few glaring deviations from the facts known about the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits. Although the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) said the two men were killed because of their ties with the Indian state rather than their Pandit identity, the Pandits were not convinced. Subscribe To Our Daily Newsletter And Get News Delivered Straight To Your Inbox. I've heard cases. Chinese military sources can tell us exactly what the PLA is learning. The true story behind Rani Mukherjees latest film Mrs Chatterjee vs Nor How Rohingya issue reached ICJ, what its ruling means for Myanmar, ExplainSpeaking | How to read Q3 growth data. The day marks the beginning of the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits on a mass scale that ultimately culminated in the complete exodus of the aboriginal indigenous people that represented a civilisation that was more than 5,000 years old. However, Zulju was probably not a Muslim. Asia, Central An eye-witness report by two investigative journalists on the ground in Prato, Italy. [17], The Brahmins had something to be particularly unhappy about during the reign of the last Lohara king, for Shadeva chose to include them in his system of onerous taxation, whereas previously they appear to have been exempted. The Hindu caste system of the Kashmir region was influenced by the influx of Buddhism from the time of Asoka, around the third century BCE, and a consequence of this was that the traditional lines of varna were blurred, with the exception of that for the Brahmins. The VP Singh-led Janata Dal government at the Centre re-appointed Jagmohan as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering his political rival Farooq Abdullah's resignation from the post of chief minister. Short answer: Because of carelessness, lack of courage/desire and vote-bank politics of State and Central government. Long Answer: To know the reas A Kashmiri Pandit fact-checks The Kashmir Files In an EXCLUSIVE interview to SabrangIndia's Karuna John, KPSS Chief Sanjay Tickoo recalls events as they truly unfolded and not as they have been depicted in the movie 22 Mar 2022 According to P.K.Verma, "Education was a common thread that bound together this pan Indian elite" and almost all the members of these communities could read and write English and were educated beyond school. During the period of Many fell into disrepair. Many Pandits, especially the youth, feel little emotional or cultural connect to their Kashmiri heritage and homeland. [54] Ikkjutt Jammu, a political party in Jammu and Kashmir, advocates for two Union Territories in Kashmir, one being Panun Kashmir for Kashmiri Hindus. Power, Crossroads WebBoth BJP and Congress enjoyed the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits because 1) they never cared about people 2) it was actually helping them to secure their vote bank. He also demanded that a probe be conducted to ascertain on whose orders a total of 70 terrorists were released in Jammu and Kashmir in 1989. You are not allowed to edit this article at this level. Matters came to a head on the night of January 19, 1990. Sun worship is believed to have been brought into Kashmir by Kushan kings from Iran. Hindu community native to the Kashmir Valley, Center for the Study of Developing Societies in India (CSDS), Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, List of Jammu and Kashmir related articles, "30 years on, return to homeland eludes Kashmiri Pandits", "Survival is now our Politics: Kashmiri Hindu community identity and the Politics of Homeland", "Kashmiri Pandits: Why we never fled Kashmir", Kashmiri Pandits offered three choices by Radical Islamists, "25 years after exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, questions over return remain", "BBC World Service | World Agenda - Give me land", "23 years on, Kashmiri Pandits remain refugees in their own nation - Rediff.com India News", Senate Joint Resolution 23, 75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY2009 Regular Session, "Front Page: "219 Kashmiri Pandits killed by militants since 1989", "Kashmiri Pandits: Why we never fled Kashmir Kashmir: The forgotten conflict", "399 Pandits killed since 1990 KPSS Lastupdate:- Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT", "The tragedy of Kashmiri Pandits (Part IV)", "Only 1 Pandit family returned to Valley in 25 years", "When will we finally return home, ask displaced Kashmiri Pandits", "Kashmiri pandit team to visit valley to negotiate for peace", "Forget Delimitation; Divide Kashmir; Grant Statehood to Jammu: IkkJutt Jammu", Census of India, 1941, Volume XXII, Parts I & II (1943), Census of India, 1941, Volume XXII, Part III (1943), "Cabinet approves the proposal to provide State Government jobs and transit accommodations in the Kashmir Valley for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants", "Gangbal yatra to commence after 100 yrs in Kashmir", "Kheer Bhawani Temple | District Ganderbal, Government of Jammu and Kashmir", "Valley divide impacts Kashmiri, pandit youth switch to devnagari", "Hindu Muslim unity depicted at Mata Khirbhawani temple in Kashmir", "Anupam Kher to work for Empowerment of Kashmiri Pandit Community", Panun Kashmir: A Homeland for Kashmiri Pandits, 'God of Small Things,' Travelogue in The Indian Express, 5 March 2006, by Arjun Razdan, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kashmiri_Pandits&oldid=1138786638, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, "Related ethnic groups" needing confirmation, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Articles with empty sections from March 2020, Articles with failed verification from March 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 16:26. [33] The nature of the planned exodus has remain controversial, with the involvement of then Governor Jagmohan in organising a clandestine exodus been a subject of controversy. "There has been continuing lack of engagement by the government of India with the community. WebNew Delhi: Recalling the dreadful images and horrors of the years that followed post the advent of militancy in Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits urged the Central government to 'relocate' them to their native lands with respect and dignity and called for unity amongst the 'Kashmiri Pandits'. The exodus took place at the same time that the BJP was upping the ante across northern India, and over the years, the plight of Kashmiri Pandits has become a potent Hindutva issue. The efforts to resettle Pandits in the Valley in the last two decades have seen ghetto-like structures come up in various parts of Kashmir, ringed by concertina wire with heavy security, underlining that normal life is impossible. At the time of the carnage, People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mufti Sayeed was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, while an Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led BJP government was at the Centre. In this exclusive interview, he recalls the events as they truly unfolded and not how they have been over dramatised and presented in the film The Kashmir Files which, he fears, aims But local politicians said the situation was far from normal, and In his address to celebrate the 104th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, Yoon Suk-yeol said Japan has transformed into a partner sharing common values. VP Singh government was in power during genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became Home Minister with BJP's help: Pawar The then Speeches were made extolling Pakistan and the supremacy of Islam, and against Hinduism. The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins)[7] are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. On the day of 8 December 1989, the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed was carried out by members of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a Kashmiri terrorist separatist organisation, in Jammu and Kashmir. (Or if they're ordered by the regime to create intentional tension/chaos. [15], A historically contested region, Northern India was subject to attack from Turkic and Arab regimes from the eighth century onwards, but they generally ignored the mountain-circled Kashmir Valley in favour of easier pickings elsewhere. A second, larger wave left in March and April, after more Pandits were killed. Most of the Kashmiris fled during late hours, under the cover of the night. This decision had helped catalyse the Kashmir genocide's bloody 1990s chapter. The Hizbul Mujahideen put up posters ordering all Hindus to leave the Valley and lists with names of Pandits to be eliminated were circulated, Dhar recalled. Caps were worn, as well as a type of turban referred to as a shirahshata, while footwear consisted of leather shoes and boots, worn with socks. Kashmir was in ferment. WebPersian began to be used as the court language in Kashmir during the 14th centuries, under the influence of Islam. It marked a shift in the motivations behind the militancy in Kashmir hitherto driven primarily be a separatist sentiment, it now took a more communal colour and moved towards jihad. [59], Scholar Christopher Snedden states that the Pandits made up about 6 per cent of the Kashmir Valley's population in 1947. The other contentious question about the exodus is the role played by the administration, and more specifically that of the J&K Governor, Jagmohan. The hotly contested circumstances of their departure between January and March 1990, the numbers, and the issue of their return are an important side to the Kashmir story that has fed into the Hindu-Muslim polarisation in India over the years, in turn fuelling the Hindu-Muslim chasm in the Valley. Twenty-four Hindus, including two children, were lined up outside their houses and shot dead by terrorists who belonged to the outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba. Men, too, might adopt stylish arrangements and wear flowers in their hair, if they had the financial means to do so. Life and property were not safe, agriculture declined, and there were periods when trade came to a standstill. However, the problems of Kashmiri Pandits have not Hit lists of Pandits were in circulation. Consequently, riots broke out in Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders of Jammu and Kashmir knew earlier what was going to happen within few weeks. China is drawing lessons from Russias invasion of Ukraine. [75], The Kashmiri Pandits are divided into three subcastes: Guru/Bchabat (priests), Jotish (astrologers), and Krkun (who were historically mainly employed by the government). 22 Mar 2022. A Kashmiri Pandit refugee camp in Jammu. [11][12] Prompted by the growth of Islamic militancy in the valley, large numbers left in the exodus of the 1990s. [16][17] Mohibbul Hasan describes this collapse as .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, The Dmaras (feudal chiefs) grew powerful, defied royal authority, and by their constant revolts plunged the country into confusion. WebThe Exodus It was 19 th of January, 1990 and days were cold and nights bitter, though there was no snow on the ground. A large number settled in the Jammu Division of the State and the National Capital Region of India. The rigged election of 1987 after which Abdullah formed the government was a turning point at which militants took the upper hand. Kashmiri Pandits are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. [65] The Mata Kheerbhawani[66] temple shrine in Srinagar, considered one of the holiest Hindu shrines, saw the largest gathering of Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir valley in 2012. 2023 Diplomat Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. It is an undeniable fact that the same sentiments that led to the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus are very much alive and thriving today. It was evident that Kashmiri Muslims wanted us to leave the Valley, Ashok Dhar, who left Baramulla for Jammu on February 2, 1990, told The Diplomat. But as the situation in Kashmir spiralled into a full-blown militancy, return began to look remote if not impossible. The communal violence of April 2022 was more the norm than the exception in the city of Khambhat. The lead up to the Kashmiri Hindu exodus In 1989, the then J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had ordered the release of around 70 terrorists between July Rubaiya was the daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, then the Home minister of India in the Janata Dal government led by V. P. Singh. Waves of panic hit the community, especially after a local newspaper published an anonymous message, allegedly from the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, asking Pandits to leave. The fleeing Pandits did not think they would never return to the Valley. As per the estimates, 650 Pandits were killed during this time. The Genocide of Kashmiri Hindus who are also called Kashmiri Pandits, was seventh ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits by radical Islamists in Kashmir Valley. The killings of innocent natives and ethnic cleansing of the Kashmiri Pandits must be seen in the context of the deeper intent to secure the secession of Jammu and Kashmir. (Or if they're ordered by the regime to create intentional tension/chaos. The 19th of January, 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley. Speaking at the programme 'Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave: Pandits have generally been in favor of Kashmirs closer integration with India. Islamist militants began targeting Kashmiri Hindus - upper-caste Pandits - who were a minority group, in the 1990s. WebIt clearly says that the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits started in late 1989. Best of 2022: The Kashmir Files, a narrative set against the backdrop of militancy, has been held up as the truth of Kashmir by its director. Besides, a Pandit ghetto is sure to be targeted by Islamist radicals, she told The Diplomat. During the period of Historical India is an opensource community based project dedicated to the history of Greater India. Successive governments in New Delhi and Srinagar have attempted to draw displaced Pandits back to the Valley. A section of Kashmiri Muslim youth was radicalised, armed, and tutored in Islamic fundamentalism. As for those Pandits who left the Valley, many were put up in tented accommodation in camps in Jammu and New Delhi initially and subsequently in townships in these cities. The flight continued until 2000. In 1989, Neelkanth Ganjoo, the judge who had sentenced the JLKF's Maqbool Bhat to death, was killed in a market near the Srinagar High Court in broad daylight. WebSrinagar: The latest killing of a Kashmiri Pandit in Pulwama district has revived the climate of insecurity and fear in the Valley, and allegations that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has failed to protect the minority Hindu community. What It Said, S Jaishankar's "Firm" Reply To UK Minister Who Raised BBC Tax Row: Sources, Tunisha Sharma Case: In-Camera Hearing Allowed On Sheezan Khan's Bail Plea, Protests Break Out Over Alleged Army Custodial Death In Jammu And Kashmir, 'Fear UP Cops Will Kill Me': Gangster-Politician Goes To Supreme Court, Cabinet Okays Signing Of Contract With L&T For 3 Cadet Training Ships, Traffic Hit In Delhi Ahead Of G20 Foreign Ministers Meet, Rahul Gandhi Talks About The "Art Of Listening" At Cambridge University, This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. The Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits Ghulam Mohammad Shah came into power after snatching the position from his brother-in-law Farooq Abdullah and became The Valleys BJP leader Tika Lal Taploo was shot dead on September 13. The debate surrounding the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits has been reignited following the release of a film on it -- 'The Kashmir Files'. India is a peaceful country to the extent that its dear neighbor Pakistan works on the premise that whatever madness they do india will politely as They wanted sharia rule in Kashmir, Dhar said, adding that the Pandits had no choice but to leave their homes. Indian forces are specially ordered to keep high surveillance on Kashmir and Kashmiris. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Jagmohan Malhotra, dictated by the Centre, orchestrated the replacement of Abdullah with his brother-in-law Ghulam Shah, who had rebelled against his family and pioneered another faction of the National Conference. While they were left unharmed for the most part, terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba massacred Pandits at Sangrampora (1997), Wandhama (1998), and Nandimarg (2003). WebGenocide of Kashmiri Pandits. At that time, Mr Chowdhury said, the then Congress president and Leader of Opposition Rajiv Gandhi had raised his voice against the exodus of people from Kashmir, and asked the then government to stop it "anyhow", warning that people of the country would not accept it. Congress' leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday sought to corner the ruling BJP over the exodus of minorities from Kashmir in 1990s, saying then Leader of Opposition Rajiv Gandhi had urged the then VP Singh government to intervene and stop the "atrocities" being committed on Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs. The crimes committed against the Kashmiri Pandits are, by any yardstick, deserving of the strongest condemnation and there can be no gainsaying the acute In many cases, their properties were either immediately vandalised or sold quickly by the owners to Kashmiri Muslims. Gul Shah formed the government with support from the Congress at the state-level as well as the central. 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