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

[Bipin Trivedi]

Dear Inder,

I appreciate your attitude towards Pandits and so many are their like you in Kashmir but could not dare to come out fearing of militants or separatists. If everyone thinks like that in Kashmir there want be any problem and Kashmir will be on the right track. Thanks accepting about the beginning of Pak sponsored gun culture for which you give reason rigging of election. However, the tense situation initiated by Pak will be there even if election rigging was not there. So at one place it is proved that Pak with the help of few local Kashmiri played key role to push out Kashmiri Pandit from valley.

Thanks
Bipin Trivedi


-----Original Message-----
From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] On Behalf Of Inder Salim
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 12:25 AM
To: reader-list
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Gowhar Geelani calling for the Return of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir in 'Greater Kashmir'

Thanks dear Shuddha for this wonderful forward

Lot of people on the list have this impression that all the Muslims in
the valley think that Pandits left the valley on their own, or
Jagmohan convinced them so.....

But that is  not the fact. Majority of Muslims in valley miss Pandits,
and want their return to kashmir. Both the communities love each
others simplicity and want to restore that co-existence in the valley.

It was in 1986 that congress J&K Chief Mufi Mohd Syed thought to
outwit the NC-Congress alliance by instigating communal riots.  The
subsequent rigging of elections ensured the beginning of Pakistan
sponsored Gun culture, which automatically pushed out Pandits from
Valley. Qazi Nissar was MUF canditate ( killed by militants later )
who never said a word against Pandits in his lectures.

When passion for Azadi was really at peak, that time even, neighbors
helped Pandits to move out safely. But now when lot of Muslims
brothers have suffered,( first by securities excess then by rogue
militans, then by both, and now by SOG and all that... ) sincerely
want Pandits back in their homes. That is my feeling...

But the problem with Pandit leadership is that they have different
priorities: one of them is extreme love for Indian Nationalism,  its
Tricolour etc, which is not a sin, but in Kashmir it complicates the
problems, since Kashmir is a conflict zone between differnt parties.
But  the bonds between Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits is based
on shared cultural heritage, music food,  simplicity and above all
language, and not because of some conflict.

So, Pandit communty need to decide what is good for them . My humble
suggestion is that both the communities need more visibility through
multiple interactive cultural sessions  ....

I dont see any political role for Kashmiri Pandits to play in Kashmir
or outside. The number game is quite vital in any democratic form of
politics, as we know, and Kashmiri pandits are very few, that too
scattered all over the country.

The interaction is already happening at a very personal level. There
are exchanges and friendly  meetings even during this time.

Both the communities are nostalgic about their past, one can only wish
a happy new beginning between the two..

with love
is



On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 10:22 PM, Shuddhabrata Sengupta
<shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:
> 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
>
>
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