[Reader-list] Reply to Column by Farzana Versey - Fission Kashmir, The Asian Age

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

*Someone recently had posted a column by Farzana Varsey here at Sarai. I
found these two letters as a reply to that column in The Asian Age. Check
below:*
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http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/opinion/letters-to-editor/congress-intransigence.aspx
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*Plight of Pandits*

Sir, Farzana Versey's Fission Kashmir (September 4) is a cruel joke on the
sorry plight of almost half a million Kashmiri Pandits who were forced to
flee the land of their forefathers because of terrorist threats and are
languishing as refugees for almost two decades. For the information of the
writer, Pamposh Enclave and Amar Colony in New Delhi, with a substantial
Kashmiri Pandit population, have been in existence since 1970. If several
displaced Pandit families have taken shelter with their relatives in these
colonies, instead of taking refuge in refugee camps, it does not lessen the
gravity of the ethnic cleansing. What is wrong if educated members of the
community are employed on the strength of their qualifications? Does the
writer believe that Rs 1,000 as stipend per month in a metropolitan city is
a decent amount for living? The fundamental issue is, should any citizen of
India be forced to leave his home and hearth just because his religion is
different from the religion of his neighbours' who happen to form the
majority population?

S.K. Chatterji

Mulund (West), Mumbai



Sir, For Farzana Versey's information, the Pandit refugees who fled Kashmir
in 1989-90 never lived in Pamposh Enclave in New Delhi, which was home to
Pandits who had migrated on their own before 1989. That she believes the
Pandit lobby is strong, is akin to the Indian government believing ISI is
strong. Even if that be the case, is it a sin being a strong lobby? Had the
Pandit lobby been strong, you would not have 1,200 Pandits killed in
violence and yet no one punished. The only sin that the Pandits seem to have
committed is that they have educated themselves and got themselves good
jobs, rather than waiting for government largesse. The writer also needs to
know that the aid that comes from abroad is from Pandits settled abroad, and
not from any aid agency. As for Kashmiri Muslims celebrating Martyrs' Day on
July 13, the writer does not know that July 13 is also observed as "Batta
Loot Day" by Pandits, because on that day hundreds of Pandit houses in
downtown Srinagar were looted by irate mobs who were not Sikhs, Dogras or
Pandits. It is time the writer went to the camps in Jammu and saw for
herself the life that the Pandits lead.

Rashneek Kher

rashneek at gmail.com

Thanks
*--
Aditya Raj Kaul
Blog: www.kauladityaraj.blogspot.com
Campaign Blog: www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
RIK Website: www.rootsinkashmir.org
US Website: www.unitedstudents.in*