NCM member Rouble Nagi’s remarks infuriate Kashmiri Pandits

Rouble Nagi's remarks on Kashmiri Pandits spark controversy, drawing criticism from activists, political parties, and community leaders.

The remarks of Rouble Nagi, a member of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), about the return of Kashmiri Pandits evoked sharp reactions from Pandits and political parties on Friday (January 24, 2025), a day after she said there was no negative attitude towards the community in the Kashmir valley.

Ms. Nagi on Thursday said migrant Kashmiri Pandits need to decide if they want to return to Kashmir, saying “there is no negative attitude towards Kashmir Pandits from the local people”. She said the security situation in the valley was peaceful and the number of killings has gone down. She also termed the killing of people in the name of religion as “unacceptable”.

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Ms. Nagi made these remarks after conducting a tour of areas where minorities live in the Kashmir valley. Ms. Nagi urged locals to support peace initiatives and work together for a better future. “One has to think of himself as an Indian first rather than being a minority of majority,” she added.

Her remarks on Kashmiri Pandits, however, evoked sharp reactions. “For over three decades, Kashmiri Pandits have lived in exile due to lack of security, destroyed homes, and the absence of concrete rehabilitation plans. Her statement ignores this painful history. If there’s no hostility, why were Makhan Lal Bindroo and Rahul Bhatt brutally killed? These incidents reflect the grim realities KPs still face,” Sunil Kaul, a Kashmiri Pandit activist, said.

Another Kashmiri Pandit activist Pandit Sanjay Sapru highlighted how the community’s ancestral homes were destroyed or sold under duress in Kashmir since 1990s, when the militancy broke out in the Valley. “What is the roadmap for their safe return? Without addressing security and infrastructure, such statements are hollow and misleading,” Mr. Sapru said.

BJP leader G.L. Raina accused Ms. Nagi of “lacking knowledge and understanding about the damage her statement has caused to the institution of NCM”. “She does not know the communities that have been declared as minorities in India and lacks understanding about the communities who strive for inclusion in this list particularly those who are reverse minorities as defined by UNHCR. Before commenting on the return of the displaced community, she should have visited their pockets in Kashmir and in transit camps in Jammu also,” Mr. Raina said.