High Court: Haryana Govt may look into rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, April 6

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that the allotment of plots to the Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) had been hanging fire “one way or the other for some reason or the other” for the past three decades before making it clear that the state government may look into their rehabilitation.

The Bench of Justice Amol Rattan Singh and Justice Lalit Batra made it clear that the draw of lots conducted after including petitioners genuinely found to be displaced KPs would not be finalised till the state came up with a concrete policy.

The Bench asserted the policy to be drawn up for the displaced KPs, who came to Haryana, would be taken as a “wholesome policy”. In its detailed order, the Bench added the persons displaced from Pakistan in 1947 were rehabilitated by the Centre in different districts of the then composite Punjab. Property was allotted to them in terms of the property left behind in Pakistan on “verified claims”.

The Bench also “requested” the state to have a relook at the entire issue, while “looking at the plight of those who genuinely suffered loss of their homes at the hands of terrorists in J&K more than 30 years ago”. The Bench added they continued to suffer on the account of no clear title to their homes. “Hence, the state may look into the issue from the angle to rehabilitate the KPs, who were displaced from their ancestral homes in Kashmir due to terrorism.”

Going into the background of the matter, the Bench observed the plots originally purchased by the KPs were stated to have been acquired, but subsequently agreed to be released subject to their title being transferred to the HSVP by the purchasers.

The Bench added the government would also explain why “it was linking the mutation of plots purchased by the unfortunately displaced persons in Bahadurgarh on earlier dates to the allotment of other plots in lieu thereof”.

The directions came on a petition filed against the state and other respondents by Ramesh Razdan and other petitioners through counsel Padamkant Dwivedi. In a related petition, Moti Lal Kharoo and other KPs had told the court that they bought 200 to 300 sq yards at Bahadurgarh from their savings. Kharoo’s case was that the plot was acquired and released on request. But the possession wasn’t delivered back even after 30 years, compelling him and others to move the HC. In all, 14 writ petitions were filed.