The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly unanimously passed a resolution for creating conditions for the return of Kashmiri Pandits and other migrants back to their homeland. This came when the displaced Kashmiri migrants were protesting on the 27th anniversary of their exodus from the Kashmir Valley.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah initiated this resolution by saying that the Assembly should pass a resolution for the return of the Kashmiri Pandits rising above party politics. He said that in 1990, because of some unfortunate circumstances, Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs and some Muslims migrated from Kashmir and impressed upon all the members to support the resolution.
Meanwhile, the Mehbooba Mufti-led government has made a plan to announce 3,000 fresh government jobs for Kashmiri Pandits in the valley and has also decided to go ahead to make transit colonies for them. The proposal was kept on hold after protests by opposition National Conference and Hurriyat Conference. Deputy CM Nirmal Singh informed the House that their government has identified the places where there would be cluster developments for Kashmiri Pandits who want to return to their roots.
A major progress for KPs’ return was made by the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government at the Centre which accommodated 1,200 displaced Pandit families in the transit camps in the Valley. All of them were given government employment under Prime Minister’s Special Employment Package and are posted in Kashmir since 2009. But the Pandits have described such rehabilitation as an eyewash and say that they will not return to their duties until the situation normalises in Kashmir. Meanwhile, on Friday, the J&K Legislative Council also passed a resolution for the return of the Kashmiri Pandits.