[Reader-list] Gowhar Geelani calling for the Return of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir in 'Greater Kashmir'

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear All,

Here is a forthright and moving piece by Gowhar Geelani in today's  
Greater Kashmir newspaper. Notice how he takes 'personal  
responsibility'. And how he talks about the value of repeated  
entreaties.  Hope it will be of interest to all.

best

Shuddha

-----------------------------------



Come home,  Come soon : On the hoped for return of Kashmiri Pandits  
to Kashmir

Gowhar Geelani - Greater Kashmir, 22 September 2010
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Sep/22/return-of-kps-34.asp


I vividly remember my favourite school teacher Ms. Anita. As her name  
would suggest she was a Kashmiri Pandit. She was my form-teacher at  
school. I remember my others Pandit teachers too. Mrs Bharti Koul,  
Teja Ma'am and Usha Ma'am. I owe a lot to all of them for what I'm  
today. I remember how Anita Ma'am would ensure that I secured first  
position in my class. I also remember how Teja Ma'am would want me to  
be the best of the lot! I remember everything.

Those were beautiful and peaceful days in our Kashmir, full of sweet  
memories. Muslims, Pandits and Sikhs studying in the same school,  
playing together in playgrounds, sharing their lunches, attending  
marriage functions, birthday parties, offering condolences when  
someone in the neighbourhood died, sympathizing with each other and  
even engaging in smaller verbal brawls as friends normally do.

'Music of bullets replaced school bells'
Then, all of a sudden, tranquillity vanished in thin air. Peace  
didn't stay, it was blown away into pieces. My beautiful memories in  
'Angels Public School, 'Abhay Public School', 'Light Public School'  
and 'Shaheen Public School' in Srinagar soon started turning into  
nightmares.

The huge paintings of greats like Dr. Allama Iqbal, Sir Syed Ahmed  
Khan and Rabindra Nath Tagore hanging on the walls of my school were  
now being hit by stray bullets on a regular basis. Music of bullets  
replaced the 'recess' and 'period' bells in my school.

'My beautiful garden isn't attractive anymore'
Life was not the same again after 1989. Everything changed,  
dramatically. I remember everything. How Indian troopers humiliated  
my elderly people, day in and day out; how they slapped me after on  
their directions (read orders) I'd read a poster of a popular  
militant outfit pasted on an electric pole in our locality; how they  
stared at me, abused, hurled choicest invectives and threatened me  
while walking on my streets for no fault of mine; how they made me to  
bend on my knees and walk on my elbows on an undeclared curfew day,  
when I and my other classmates were to appear in class 10th papers at  
Bemina Degree College, Srinagar. It all happened in early years of  
1990's. The memories of their abuses and slaps haunt me, still.

I remember the Army crackdowns, operation 'Catch and Kill', the  
firing incidents, cross-firing incidents, grenade blasts, mine  
blasts, encounters, massive anti-India protest demonstrations,  
slogans for freedom from India, slogans in favour of militants, even  
some slogans against Pandit brethren.

And I also do remember Pandits leaving from my Valley. That was a  
painful memory.Many blame Mr. Jagmohan, the then notorious Governor  
of the strife-ridden Jammu and Kashmir for the exodus of Kashmiri  
Pandits.
But, I will blame myself
Yes, I know I was a school-going boy at that time, not influential  
enough to be responsible for their migration or to prevent their  
exodus; but I still blame myself. I strongly feel and believe that  
we, as a proud Kashmiri nation, should have prevented their exodus.  
Yes, it may be my idealism. Yes, I know those were not ideal times.

Who's responsible for this?
Today, there are television debates on Indian media about  
'Kashmiriyat'. Who's responsible for the exodus of Pandits? We've too  
many answers coming. Many Pandits blame their own Muslim brethren,  
some blame militants and pro-freedom forces active in Kashmir, yet  
others blame the unfortunate circumstances of 1989. Many Muslims  
blame former Governor Mr. Jagmohan, others say Pandits shouldn't have  
left Kashmir while few others maintain that what happened was  
unfortunate and should never have actually happened, but the  
migration could not have been avoided during those hard times.

I've a different take on the issue. I believe that I'm responsible  
for the exodus of Pandits. I believe Muslim community of Kashmir as a  
whole is responsible for the migration of Pandits. I also believe  
that Pandits too are responsible for their migration. For the simple  
reason that together we shared beautiful history of elegant bonds,  
exemplary friendships and harmony, and we, as a great Kashmiri  
nation, should have never allowed the circumstances dictate our  
decisions, our lives, our history; and above all our great cultural  
bonds! But they did.

Was it possible?
Though in my previous articles I may have pointed fingers at the  
politics of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of a faction of pro- 
freedom alliance Hurriyat Conference and another leader Sajad Gani  
Lone, but here I must shower praises on both of them. Mirwaiz Umar  
lost his father, Mirwiaz Molvi Farooq to bullets on 21st May, 199o;  
while as Lone brothers lost their father, Abdul Gani Lone to bullets  
on the twelfth death anniversary of Molvi Farooq; 21st May, 2002.  
Mirwaiz Umar, Sajad Lone and Bilal Lone too had an option to leave  
Kashmir and get settled down abroad, far away from hell in Kashmir;  
but they didn't, instead chose to face the challenges the  
circumstances had thrown before them. Kudos to them!

Leave these brave leaders aside for a moment. During late 1990's my  
mother was seriously wounded when militants hurled a grenade towards  
a bunker of Indian troopers at Safakadal, Srinagar. The grenade  
missed the intended target, as would quite often happen during those  
days, and thus like many other pedestrians; serious injuries were  
inflicted on my mother too. Her left foot was badly wounded and it  
took almost four years to heal, though not permanently. Our family  
did not leave Kashmir. We too had the option. Because my father had  
his shawl business running successfully in Kolkata since almost three  
decades.

Should Pandits too have braved the 'come what may' and avoided  
leaving Kashmir, our beloved motherland? Well, debatable. May be it  
wasn't possible. Or, may be it was. Perhaps yes, perhaps no!

'Life hasn't been easy'
Life hasn't been the same for Pandits after migration. It hasn't been  
easy for them in the migrant camps of Jammu or in different parts of  
India. Sameer Bhat, my former colleague at Eenadu Television in  
Hyderabad, India in 2003-04, would often narrate the painful stories  
of migration. Sameer, his wife, ailing mother and kids would bear the  
scorching heat of Jammu while sitting in a temporary shed that  
consisted of only one-room. His stories were very moving and would  
often leave a pang in my heart. Like hundreds of other Pandit  
families, his family too had left Kashmir in early 1990's. A close  
Pandit friend of my father in Rainawari, Srinagar, too had to leave  
Kashmir alongwith his entire family. Their house was burnt down and  
reduced to ashes. This friend of my father also used to buy shawls  
from us. At the time of migration he owed us a lot of money, the  
cheque he had given to my father bounced. After apologizing he  
promised to repay every single penny in installments once he settled  
down in Kolkata. My father offered all possible help and said to the  
family that they need not to pay our money back, because we  
understood what they had gone through. But, as an honest businessman  
he kept his word, his promise; and repaid all due amount in smaller  
installments in the following years. That is Pandit pride! My  
father's friend kept the friendship going, his Pandit pride alive and  
with it the reputation of an honest trader too.

'Burden of unique expectations'
Kashmir is a special place having its unique history. During our  
marriage ceremonies we extend invitation to guests in a way that is  
unique. It is unparalleled. No where else in the world invitation is  
extended or expected like as in Kashmir. Even in this age of facebook  
and twitter; an information and technology age, particular members of  
a Kashmiri family- that has fixed marriage of a son or a daughter- go  
personally to homes of their close relatives, friends and neighbours  
to extend an invitation. Then, some two-three weeks before the  
marriage an invitation card is sent; as the marriage date comes  
closer several telephonic calls are made, and then a final call too.  
At times, even this may not be enough and that is perhaps why many  
relatives or friends throw their tantrums during marriage ceremonies;  
you may call it an attention-seeking tactics!

If all relatives, neighbours and friends come and attend the marriage  
ceremony, it is considered a miracle! If all of them do not come, no  
one is surprised! That is Kashmir. It is not that Kashmiri Pandits or  
Kashmiri Muslims are at war with each other after 1989. It is the  
result of their great and unique tradition and history that they've  
such huge expectations from each other. As a matter of fact, they're  
not blaming or accusing each other, instead throwing tantrums,  
seeking attention and expecting a lot!

To me what actually Pandits are asking is this:"If we left Kashmir,  
why didn't you call us back? Are merely one or two calls enough?  
Shouldn't you be doing more and calling us back and receiving us with  
open arms?" And Muslims are replying:"Why did you leave us when  
things were tough here, you shouldn't have left us alone in the first  
place? Shouldn't you've faced the challenges of the circumstances  
like we did? Shouldn't you have stayed and never gone?

Both actually expect a lot from each other! There is no communal  
disharmony in Kashmir. Only circumstances have been challenging and  
the going has been hard and tough. The movement for freedom in  
Kashmir is not against Kashmiri Pandits or Sikhs, it is not against  
the Indian people, it is against the Indian state and its wicked  
state-craft.
Today, I once again extend an invitation to all of them. Please come  
back. 'Walev Yeyev Wapas'!

(Gowhar Geelani is a Kashmiri journalist based in Bonn, Germany since  
2006, where he works for Deutsche Welle [Voice of Germany] as an  
Editor. gowhargeelani at gmail.com)



Shuddhabrata Sengupta
The Sarai Programme at CSDS
Raqs Media Collective
shuddha at sarai.net
www.sarai.net
www.raqsmediacollective.net