Omkar Dattatray
We are conversant with and have heard about the Seven Wonders of the World but now in this list return and rehabilitation of KP's can be added and this can be bracketed as the 8th wonder of the modern world. Over thirty years of the forced migration of the miniscule community of K.P's has passed and the community is at the crossroads of its history and is going to extinct like the Kashmiri Hangul if concrete steps are not taken by the powers at the centre and the state government level to rehabilitate the unfortunate victims of the genocide let loose by the Jehadi elements and terrorists right from 1990 onwards which culminated into the forced exodus of this peace loving and patriotic community. They are and were innocent with the only sin of being nationalistic and patriotic to the core and had to pay heavy price for their patriotism and the only label of being Indians first and last.
Return and rehabilitation of the community seems utopian and unreal given the implementation at ground zero as it has not been implemented on ground. The community's present and future is very bleak, uncertain and their return to the places of their origin and their rehabilitation seems not to be a serious and sincere priority of the successive rulers of the state and central government, with the result that the community's future is bleak and is at stake. Therefore, earnest and sincere efforts are needed to frame a pragmatic, rational and practical policy for their return and rehabilitation back in the valley. Much noise has been made since their forced exodus and more so from 2010 when the UPA government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh had announced and embarked a plan for the return of the K.P exilee to valley and their rehabilitation back at the places of their birth.
KP's by and large are in favour of their return to valley with honor and dignity. But alas the return and rehabilitation of the displaced KP community could not take a practical shape in spite of the much fanfare and noise created by the powers about their return and rehabilitation except the providing of some jobs to unemployed KP displaced youth in the valley. But except the provision of jobs to some of the KP exilee youth, the Prime Minister's package as well has still not been translated into practice thanks to lackluster and lackadaisical attitude of our state and central rulers and politicizing of the issue.
The role of our political parties particularly the mainstream political parties of J&K has also contributed to the mess of the return and rehabilitation of KPs. Much water has flown down the Jehlum and river Tawi since 1990 and the ground reality has completely changed in the valley and in this changed atmosphere and environment, it is not proper and practical to frame a return policy for the migrants to the places where they were living before 1990 and their rehabilitation is in doldrums thanks to selfish interests of the vested political parties of J&K who in their heart of hearts do not like the return of the natives to the valley and KP oustees have been reduced to aliens in a native land. Hitherto return and rehabilitation policy for KP migrants has not taken a practical and pragmatic shape and it is on papers only and in practice nothing substantial has been done for the dignified return and rehabilitation of about 7 lakh Kashmiri pandits to valley and they continue to live outside their places of birth and are scattered throughout the length and breadth of India and abroad.
A generation of KPs has been destroyed by the unfortunate and forced exodus of the KP community in the wake of Wahabism, sectarianism, parochialism and fundamentalism in J&K with the active support of Pakistani establishment. All the governments of the centre whether of UPA led government of Congress or the NDA led BJP government or the then government of Inder Kumar Gujral or government of Late Chandra Shekhar or the government of Devigowda – all talked of return and rehabilitation of the KP migrants back to valley but all such return and rehabilitation noises are lost in the din of politicking and its opposition by the political leaders of J&K who severe by secularism but in their hearts do not like the return of the natives back to valley. As said at the outset the conditions in the valley have changed and radicalization, fundamentalism, extremism and militancy has completely altered the ground situation in the valley and therefore it is immature and impractical at present to enforce a return and rehabilitation plan for the exile pandits.
Now the ground situation has completely changed and in this changed socio cultural environment, it is not feasible and practical to embark on the plan of return and rehabilitation of these exiles to the places of their native land as they were living before 1990, as they were spread throughout the territory of Kashmir which originally belongs to them.
If government is really sincere and serious about return and rehabilitation of this community, they should be settled back in valley in some cluster locations and not to be spread through the length and breadth of the valley. What reservation the political parties like PDP, NC and even the congress has to the return and rehabilitation of the migrant KPs in concentrations in valley. Alternatively a homeland should be carved within the valley for the dignified return and rehabilitation of the migrant KPs. All KPs like to return to Panun Kashmir and the Margdarshan resolution of 1991 is the guiding force for the KPs for return and rehabilitation. Therefore, a separate homeland should be carved out of the Kashmir valley as a centrally administrated territory with full constitutional guaranties to solve the return and rehabilitation of this community.
KPs are the internally displaced people and the nomenclature of migrants is attributed to this displaced community which is very unfortunate and this should be stopped and the problems of the displaced KPs solved in Jammu and elsewhere till the time of their dignified return to the places of their birth. KPs have become aliens in their native land and this alienation of the KPs should be removed and the return and rehabilitation package for them should be implemented to save the community from uncertainty and extinction as the community is widely dispersed throughout India and even abroad. But still the community members like to return to the valley. All that is needed is the initiative of the centre and the state government and the backing & will of the political leaders.
The local Kashmiris have an important role to play in the return and rehabilitation of exiled KPs who long for their return back to the valley. Return and rehabilitation of KPs needs foresight, thinking before doing, proper planning and adhoc measures here and there are not needed and they prove useless and futile. Kashmiris should take an initiative of calling back the exiled KPs to their land of birth for the growth and flourishing of the composite ethos and cultural legacy of Kashmir and for the strength of much valued Kashmiriyat.
Therefore, all efforts of the government of the state and centre should be backed by the political parties and leaders of Kashmir and unnecessary noises should not be created by the vested interests which block the return and rehabilitation of displaced KPs. Return and rehabilitation should be done with meticulous planning and foresight as the return and rehabilitation policy has failed till date. Further no Davshalpi Vishwakarma will construct houses for the displaced community over night but housing is an inalienable part of any return and rehabilitation policy and this should be given due attention by the powers that be. Till date return and rehabilitation of displaced KPs has not taken final shape because housing for them is a problem and even the PM's employment package appointees are not provided proper accommodation and because of the non-availability of proper accommodation the appointees are facing difficulties.
Only some of the exiled KP youth and their families are provided accommodation at different places in valley but if the government is sincere and serious about rehabilitation of KPs, they should provide government accommodation to all the KP appointees in the valley. But at the end of the day the return and rehabilitation seems utopian, imaginary and astonishing and thus can be said to be the Eighth Wonder of the Modern World.
