Ram Navami celebrations remain low key in Valley

M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 5

Even as a small group of devotees offered silent prayers at Shri Ramji Temple today amid VIP visits on ‘Ram Navami’, a few non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits were seen venting out their anguish outside the temple.

“We miss the good old days when a musical band would be present inside in the temple premises to celebrate the birthday of Lord Ram. Now, we just offer prayers silently,” said Hindu Welfare Society, Kashmir (HWSK) president Chunni Lal Bhat outside the temple in the Barbar Shah area that used to bustle with Kashmiri Pandits on Ram Navami before the eruption of militancy more than 27 years back.

Bhat said the society had organised ‘pooja’ at the temple in an effort to keep their age-old traditions alive.

And when a few politicians like BJP general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul and MLC Surinder Ambardar besides Srinagar Municipal Corporation commissioner Shafqat Khan visited the temple, a few devotees flayed the government for its lip-service.

“Whenever we celebrate a festival, these politicians and bureaucrats come up to pay lip-service. And then they say they pray for peace and return of migrant Pandits. However, they do not have a clear policy. Mere prayers are not going to resolve our grievances,” said SK Wali, a non-migrant Pandit, outside the temple when BJP leaders were offering prayers inside.

Bhat said though the government at least offered lip service to the migrant Pandits, there was nothing for non-migrants. “The government at least offers lip service about the return of migrant Pandits but they hardly care for non-migrants, who stayed back after militancy. A large number of non-migrants, too, are internally displaced and their demands have not been met,” he said. Around 650 non-migrant Pandit families are presently living across the Valley and they, for long, have been alleging step-motherly treatment by successive state governments as well as the Centre. The HWSK is demanding minority status for non-migrant Pandits, job package for the youth, rehabilitation for internally displaced members and passing of the Protection of Hindu Temples and Shrines Bill in the state Assembly.