BJP defends move to reserve seats for Kashmiri Pandits in J&K Assembly

BJP defended the move to reserve seats for Kashmiri Pandits and displaced residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Assembly of the Union Territory.

The BJP on July 28 defended the move to reserve seats for Kashmiri Pandits and displaced residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Assembly of the Union Territory.

“The BJP has pledged to protect the rights of all the sections in J&K. The National Conference [NC] has blood on their hands. The Abdullahs, the Muftis, the Gandhis, are responsible for 1989. Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was Union Home Minister and Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister, when Kashmir saw a mass migration of Pandits,” Tarun Chugh, national general secretary of the BJP, said in a video statement.

He said Kashmiri Pandits were threatened, their houses set on fire, and forced to leave the Valley in 1989. “Those responsible for their migration are raising questions now. Shouldn’t they [Pandits] get justice? Shouldn’t PoK residents, who stood for India, get representation? Those pushing Pakistani propaganda in J&K won’t succeed,” Mr. Chug said.

The BJP has also hailed the move to allow Shia Muharram procession on the traditional route in Srinagar after 33 years on Thursday. “This reflects the pledge made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas. All festivals in J&K, whether Amarnath Yatra, Janmashtami or Muharram are observed together. It’s a good decision to allow the Muharram procession, which has not been taking place for more than three decades,” Mr. Chug said.

The Centre has moved a Bill in the Parliament to reserve two seats for Kashmiri Pandits and one for PoK in the Assembly of the UT. 

Meanwhile, the J&K Adarsh Sangram Party urged the intervention of Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the cases of “illegal occupation of lands and properties of the Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir Valley”.

“L-G Sinha promised to remove the illegal possession of Kashmiri Hindus’ houses in Kashmir valley two years ago but has failed to address the grievances of the minority community till date for unknown reasons,” Inder Labroo, State president of the J&K Adarsh Sangram Party, said.