Hurriyat leader blames ex-Governor for exile of Kashmiri Pandits

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 20

Blaming former J&K Governor Jagmohan for the migration of Kashmiri pandits, Hurriyat leader and National Front head Nayeem Khan has said the whole population of Kashmir is ready to welcome Pandit brethren back to the Valley.

He made this statement while addressing a party meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Gaw Kadal massacre.

Khan in his statement said, “A few (Kashmiri) migrant Pandits are hell bent to malign the Muslim population of the Valley for their exile.”

“Muslims (of Kashmir) had nothing to do with the migration of Pandits and it was the then Governor of J&K, Jagmohan, who forced Kashmiri Pandits to leave the Valley,” Nayeem Khan said while urging the “sincere” people in the Kashmiri Pandit community to react against those who have “started a campaign” against the Valley Muslims.

Khan blamed organisations such as Panun Kashmir for “creating problems” in the return of Kashmiri migrant Pandits. “Otherwise, the whole population of Kashmir is ready to welcome their Pandit brethren back,” Khan said.

Saying that the Kashmiri Muslims have suffered a lot, Khan asked the organisation like Panun Kashmir to have a look at the massacres which took place in places like Gaw Kadal, Kupwara, Bijbehara and Sopore in early 90s as an example of the suffering of Kashmiri people.

“Did not the people who have started a campaign against the Kashmiri Muslims see these massacres,” Khan said, adding that Kashmiri Pandits who did not migrate from Valley were the “best answer” to the organisations in Panun Kashmir.