KMs' Leaderships' New Found Love for K Pandit community: Lalit k kaul

KM's Religious & Political Leaderships’ New Found Love For Kashmiri Pandit (KP) Community                                                                                                                     Lalit K Kaul

A leopard doesn’t change its spots; a chameleon changes its colours; imagine a breed which is a hybrid of chameleon and leopard- that’s a breed which smartly hides its true character/intent (unchangeable) while adapting itself to changing circumstances to co-exist, only to strike one day with impunity betraying its hitherto hidden intent. The breed is none other than the religious and political leadership of Kashmiri Muslims (KMs), having proved such credentials in the real-world real time with a sense of pride and achievement by unleashing their barbaric acts against KP community beginning 1986 and continuing to be.

In the last 39 years beginning 1986, no Muslim intellectual, civil society member, religious head and a politician has expressed any remorse or resentment for the genocide that was committed on KP community forcing them into exile from Kashmir to various parts of India. No owning of their act of Genocide and instead blaming the KP community of having betrayed their “Azadi” movement by “voluntarily migrating” from Kashmir to the world outside!

No Muslim political outfit and religious leadership elsewhere in India denounced the barbaric acts unleashed on KP community. No such Indian political outfit which is ever busy garnering Muslim votes denounced such acts. Even the BJP which masquerades as the sole guardian of Sanatan Dharm and its followers has lacked the political courage and conviction to table the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Bill of Panun Kashmir in the Indian Parliament even when it had absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, if only enabling the Parliament to enact Laws that recognize Genocide and facilitate bringing its perpetrators to justice. Thus, the KP community was declared a nonentity- not by spoken words or by a written order, but by silently employing indifferent attitude- that was left to perish by design.

The question is: why suddenly this outburst of love for KP community from Mirwaiz and others?

Not by Choice but by Compulsion Alone:

The greatest challenge that the perpetrators of Genocide- genocide for which there existed a National level political ( L-C-R) consensus- and their supporters face today is that the exiled KP community has not perished and despite all odds is still alive politically, socially and religiously to assert their existence as a distinct entity which continues to seek its claim over its land of birth and heritage within the Indian Constitution despite facing gross indifference from successive state and central governments since 1986.

The BJP led central government is aware that its claim to normalcy in J&K sounds hollow in the face of the continued forced exile of KP community from the Valley to the other Indian states. While the BJP leadership lacks political courage and conviction to work out a procedure for rehabilitation of the exiled community in their Homeland as demanded by them by dint of the resolution that the community passed unanimously in Margdarshan’91, the desperation is to find a mechanism that would lead to wholesale movement of KP community to the Valley from wherever they may be living in India today.

The KM leadership had made highly provocative public statements- just before the non-existent Art 370 was sought to abrogated through Act of Parliament- that threatened “bloodshed” and “permanent disintegration of J&K” from India and were rightly imprisoned to avoid any chaos, mayhem and destruction of public properties in the Valley. Then, their release was done in phases after Aug 5,2019. That their release couldn’t have been unconditional any less than idiot would tell. Added to it was their corrupt practices while in government and for all their deeds evidences were collected and voluminous files created against each and every one. The land grabbing was most in the news. The idea was not to punish them for their corrupt practices, but make them function under the dictate of a central authority. In all this Mirwaiz was to be no exception.

Therefore, it’s quite possible that the leadership of BJP led central government summoned the “tainted” leaders and directed them to initiate a dialogue with such KP community members who would be amenable to such initiatives. The idea was not to do justice to the exiled ones. The whole exercise is dishonesty personified for if the intent was honest then the only KP organization which was/is qualified and competent to be one of the two parties remains Panun Kashmir. It’s so because it’s the only organization which was responsible for Margdarshan’91 and its outcome- Resolved to have KP Homeland (UT) to the N-E of river Jhelum.

What need be discussed:

What possibly can be discussed with the religious and political leadership of KMs is about chalking out a mutually agreed plan for carving out Homeland for KP community to the N-E of river Jhelum. Anything else, any other solution for rehabilitation of KP community within Kashmir would amount to denial of history that’s replete with instances of hatred and intolerance of Muslims towards Pandits in the Valley. The icing on the cake of hatred was wholesale eviction of aboriginals from Kashmir through Instrument of genocide and indescribable tragedy was (and continues to be) that it was made possible in “democratic” and “secular” India while Indian State watched as helpless spectator!

Why Mirwaiz?

Alumni of Burn Hall school, Srinagar; wanted to pursue Computer Science; ended up doing Islamic studies. Consequently went on to become religious cleric and head; became first chairman of All Party Hurriyat Conference in September 1993. Conducted sermons and offered Friday prayers at Jama Masjid Srinagar. The KP community can’t forget the role of mosques in issuing religious command to it: “Embrace Islam else Face Death or Leave Kashmir”. Mirwaiz emerged the leader instigating Muslims to do what they did to members of KP community. Therefore, he becomes the first choice for initiating diabolical dialogue.

Mirwaiz & Co should Answer Basic Questions:

First and foremost, Mirwaiz and other Muslim political leaders need to answer few basic questions: Even if it’s agreed that India had “occupied” Kashmir and that warranted Jang-e-Azadi against Indian State; where was the need to commit genocide on KP community; dehumanize their womenfolk and force them into exile from the Valley? How possibly could a miniscule minority emerge as a threat to Muslims’ “Azadi” movement? Why vociferous chants about “Nizam-e-Mustafa” were allowed to be raised? Why threats were issued to KP community: “Embrace Islam else Face Death or Leave Kashmir”? The movement which they spearheaded envisaged Kashmir as Islamic state, why is he now engaging some members of KP community for a possible “return” and “rehabilitation” to/in Kashmir?

In his interview, dated Feb 07 2025, to the Executive Editor of Rising Kashmir he talks about reconciliation; co-existence; trust; mutual respect; integration; and suggests “.. leave the past behind and focus on a future of unity”; “.. ensuring that such an outcome does not occur”; “.. acknowledge the pain and loss on both sides”.

Reconciliation Co-existence & Mutual Respect :

As per Oxford dictionary, reconciliation means the action of making one view or belief compatible with another. It is relevant within the context of what happened in Kashmir starting 1986. The respective Vedic and Islam’s World-views are not compatible with each other. The former conceptualizes the whole universe as one family whereas the latter is intolerant to anything-animate or inanimate-outside of its fold and boldly professes their extermination and it’s non-negotiable. Therefore, there is no meeting ground between the two World-views. Act of extermination is being in the “Way of Allah”. Those who put forward an argument that only a few groups were involved in the act of Genocide are in fact certifying that the remaining 99.99% were defying “Law of Allah”. Whereas the truth is that the other 99.99% were complementing the genocide warriors in achieving the ultimate Goal by way of providing logistics, arranging finances and biological comfort for them. When world-views are diametrically opposed, co-existence is the first causality. In a society which thrives on mutual respect, genocide of a community is not planned. Since reconciliation is impossible the question of co-existence and mutual respect doesn’t arise.

Trust:

When the Sikh and Pandit communities decided to support National Conference led by Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, they put their trust in him and Muslim community. How discriminative approach against the non-Muslim communities was adopted by him and all successive governments is too well known. That led to steady exile of Non-Muslims from Kashmir to other parts of India to pursue higher education, in search of jobs and career growth. The final assault started in 1986. Can Mirwaiz explain the compulsion of Muslims in desecrating and vandalizing Hindu temples? OK! In order to rebuild trust, will Muslims as a first step contribute fully-financially and physically- to rebuild those temples and apologize to Pandits and Sikhs using loud speakers of Jama Masjid and other mosques? Will Mirwaiz and other Moulvis take lead? If they do then they renounce Islam. If first step forward towards building trust can’t be taken, why talk about trust!

Integration:

He talks about integration and not inclusion. Social inclusion seeks to create an environment where differences are valued and respected. It’s about elimination of all barriers and the guarantee of equal opportunities for all people. Whereas social integration focuses on the adaptation of individuals to the established norms and values in society; it can lead to assimilation where individuals are pressured to abandon aspects of their identity or culture to fit into the dominant society. So, he is basically envisaging a futuristic Kashmiri society in which all non-Muslims shall be governed by Muslim Laws. Why would non-Muslims opt to live in such a social set-up?

“Acknowledge Pain and Loss on Both Sides”:

Isn’t this statement same as that of LG! Clearly the two ( LG & religious and political leadership of KMs) are on the same page! Are they being naïve? No. Together they are denying genocide committed on KP community. Both LG and Muslims should know that the latter waged a war against Indian State; challenged India’s geographical integrity; ended up paying the price. It’s not their loss; It’s their pride that they chose to give life for the sake of their beloved Pak (pious place for Muslims); their place is reserved in Heaven for they did Jihad against “Kafir” India.

The Pandits and Sikhs were slaughtered; their women kidnapped, raped and cut into pieces! Even children were not spared! All this under the banner of Islam and propelled by invoking “Law of Allah” from mosques’ loud speakers including Jama Masjid- the den of Mirwaiz. Muslims should acknowledge their barbaric acts against non-Muslims and the Indian should accept eliminating anti-India Islamic cadres. KP community has nothing to acknowledge when it comes to killing of anti-India elements.

“Ensuring that such an outcome does not occur”:

How does Mirwaiz ensure that history of nearly six centuries of religious persecution of Pandits by Muslims shall not repeat! How does Indian State ensure it? How do they plan to handle the Ideology that preaches hatred and intolerance towards “infidels” and Idolaters?

“Leave the past behind and focus on a future of unity”:

Humans are not static beings. They have a memory that hosts their foot marks that led them into present. While present may be used for planning for future, yet the past can’t be renounced as it defines co-ordinates (starting point) for flight into future via present. Let Muslims’ religious and political leadership and the Indian political leadership rest assured that the KP community is not so stupid as to detach itself from its past while making a transition into future via present.

Let Mirwaiz explain how two opposing world-views can be unified? ; how two banks of a river can meet? “Future of Unity” can be envisioned if and only if all Muslims renounce Islam OR all members of Pandit community renounce Sanatan Dharm. Neither way possible. Respective Sanatan and Islamic Ideologies form a set of two elements {thesis, anti-thesis}. One can’t reconcile to the other.

An Anecdote that Sums it up All:

Afzal Khan was sent by Bijapur Sultan to manage Shivaji. Afzal Khan invited Shivaji for a meeting under the pretence of peace negotiations, but planned to assassinate him. Shivaji was aware of Afzal Khan’s treachery. So he kept a hidden weapon called “bagh nakha” (tiger claw) with him. When Afzal Khan embraced Shivaji he stabbed Shivaji, but as Shivaji was vigilant, he used his tiger claw to kill Afzal Khan.

Afzal Khan: Mirwaiz & Co; Bijapur Sultan: BJP; Shivaji: KP community

The problem is: The KP community won’t learn to counter attack in self-defence. So Pandits Beware! No foolish steps.