Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 1

A day after Jammu and Kashmir split into two Union Territories (UTs), the non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits here today hoped that their long-pending issues would get addressed under the new regime.

“We have been given a step-motherly treatment by the previous regimes – both by elected governments and during the Governor’s rule. The previous governments have only cared about the migrants that left the Kashmir valley (after the start of militancy around 30 years ago) and introduced relief packages for them. Though their issues need to be addressed, our problems are genuine too,” said Chunni Lal Bhat, who is the president of the Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK), a body of non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

Bhat said they had stayed back in the Valley and faced several problems related to their rehabilitation and employment of the youths of the community.

“We stayed back in difficult times and kept alive the age-old traditions of Kashmiri Pandits. We, too, got internally displaced and face problems regarding our rehabilitation. We were promised suitable rehabilitation, but the promise was never fulfilled. On top of that, our youths are not getting jobs, which is forcing us to leave Kashmir. Now, we hope that the new UT administration addresses our concerns, especially those related to our rehabilitation and employment of our community members,” he said.

Bhat claimed that they had even been disallowed from meeting higher-ups during the Governor’s rule.

“While the previous regimes would at least give us assurances, we were not even given appointment to meet the Governor earlier so that we could apprise him of our concerns. We hope the new regime listens to our woes and addresses these on a priority basis,” he said.

15 Corps GoC meets Lt-Guv

Lt-Gen KJS Dhillon, GOC 15 Corps, met Lt-Governor Girish Chandra Murmu at the Raj Bhawan here on Friday and briefed him about issues relating to the security situation along the LoC and in the Valley. The Lt-Governor stressed on the importance of maintaining a sustained coordination between the security forces and the civil administration to meet the security challenges in J&K.