UK MP proposes motion to mark 35th anniv of Pandits’ ‘genocide'

A British Member of Parliament (MP) has tabled a parliamentary motion to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley in 1990. Conservative MP Bob Blackman, in the House of Commons, on Thursday tabled the Early Day Motion (EDM) on the issue concerned.

An EDM is a method used by British MPs to draw Parliament's attention to a particular issue.

The motion, titled, "Commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the genocide of Kashmiri Pandit Hindus from Jammu and Kashmir in India", was put on the official website for MPs to sign and join in.

The text of the motion said the "exodus was triggered by co-ordinated attacks in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic terrorists and their supporters on the minority Hindu population of Kashmir valley".

It goes on to deplore those sponsoring such cross-border terrorist attacks and urges the Government of India to fulfil its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the issues of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir.

It further notes that "properties belonging to the minority Hindu community in Kashmir continue to be occupied; calls on the Government of India to enact the proposed Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill in the Indian Parliament, and further urges the UK government to commemorate January 19 as Kashmiri Pandit Exodus Day".

The motion expresses condolences to its British Hindu citizens, whose friends and family were killed, raped, injured and who were displaced by force in this planned massacre.

The motion condemns the desecration of holy sites in Jammu and Kashmir and vows to protect the rights of Hindus in the UK, including the right to demand justice.

The motion mentions how Kashmiri Hindu minority that fled persecution have still not seen justice.