Kashmiri Pandits protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demand permanent settlement in the Valley

It was on Jan 19, 1990, when an entire community was forced to leave Kashmir due to threats and killings by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

The Kashmiri Hindu community observes this day as the "holocaust day" to mark the exodus of Hindus, living as refugees in their own country for the past 32 years, outside the valley.

Various organisations like Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS), Save Sharda Committee (SSC) and All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), Panun Kashmir, Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), Kashmir Pandit Sabha (KPS) held a protest. They paid tributes to the victims to reaffirm their commitment to the cause of the Kashmiri Pandits.

These organisations demanded that the central government look into the issues of displaced people of the community, and facilitate their permanent settlement in the valley.

Speaking at the event, Panun Kashmir leader Kamal Bagati said, “Kashmiri Pandits have suffered genocide and exodus despite being the indigenous people of Kashmir and it is the duty of the government to resettle them in their homeland."

The recent increase in the killing of Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir has again worried the minorities of Kashmir on their return to their homeland.

Earlier in the day, the community paid obeisance and sought blessings at Gurudwara Sis Ganj.

Speaking on occasion, the coordinator of 'Roots in Kashmir', Neal Pandita, echoed the sentiments of the community. Pandita said that the minority community of Kashmir can survive only if settled in one separate area, "otherwise they will always be sitting ducks for the mindless jihadis" he said.

ABVP JNU leader Rohit Kumar organised a seminar to discuss the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, where noted political analysts like Kamal Hak, Amit Raina and Vithal Chaudhary highlighted that without tackling jihad, the development of Kashmir is not possible, as it is an impediment to peace and normalisation.

"Solution to Kashmir problem and return of Kashmiri Pandit is not possible without acknowledgement of Genocide by the government and creation of a separate Homeland within Kashmir valley for all the minority communities and nationalist forces," said Digambar Raina, Program Coordinator, Youth 4 Panun Kashmir.