Sanjay Tickoo's proposed fast on behalf of non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits
The story of the forced exodus of Kashmiri Pandits (KP)from
the Kashmir valley in 1990 is well known. But what few people know is that even
today, 808 KP families are still living in 242 locations spread across the
Valley. At least 150 of these are Below Poverty Line (BPL) households where
people struggle for food and medical care. Apart from economic challenges, over 500 KP youth who are
eligible for government’s employment schemes are yet to be given these
benefits. Security cover provided to the community was also withdrawn in 2018,
leaving them to fend for themselves.
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), a partner
organisation of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), has made multiple
representations to different central, state and now Union Territory (UT)
authorities. They have met three Prime Ministers; HD Deve Gowda, Manmohan Singh
and current PM Narendra Modi and showcased how various government schemes
related to alleviating the plight of Kashmiri Pandits have systematically
excluded non-migrant KP families from their purview. KPSS has also written to
several former chief ministers and bureaucrats and after governor’s rule was
imposed, sent representations to that office as well.
In fact, just since June 2020, KPSS has sent over 110
memoranda to the UT authorities, but the response has been underwhelming, suggesting
that the concerns of the KP community are not a priority for the
administration. Now KPSS has sent the following memorandum as a final
communication to UT authorities, demanding a response within 10 days, failing
which KPSS president Sanjay Tickoo will go on a fast-unto-death....
To support the KPSS demand please sign the petition here
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