Kashmir was a state of British India.In 1947 it acceded to India as the dream of an independent nation collapsed with the invasion of the valley by Pakistan bavked militants. Subsequently after the failure of Pakistan to annexe the valley even after two wars,the leadership in Pakistan decided to launch a militant struggle against the Indian army. One of the facets of this so called armed struggle was to give it an Islamic cloak. Thus an concerted attempr was made to create a wedge between the local majority Muslim populace and the minority Hindu community.
The Hindus and Muslims had lived in communial harmony for centuries, but this hard line movement exported by Pakistan had its effect and the militants began targetting the Hindu Pandit community. Fear was created in the community as the Muslim gunmen attacked and killed Hindus all over the valley.There were also umpteen cases of Pandit girls being kidnapped by these militants and repeatedly raped and murdered. The sad part of this was that even some of the local populace sided with the Muslim extremists, with a view to take over the property of the Hindu Pandits or their own benefits.
All this makes sad reading as the Pamdits were terrorized and forced out of the valley, which had been their home for many centuries. The plight of the Pandiys has not got the attention it desrves and most Pandits have lost prperty worth crores as they fled the valley for their lives. It makes sadder reading still that tPanditdhe central government sat by and watched as theis carnage continued in the valley.
What of the future? There seems no light at the end of the tunnel.The valley is now out of bounds to the Hindu Pandits who dare not go back. One had thought that with arrival of BJ P and Modi , things will change. But in effect it has got worse as the Modi government has jettisoned all its poll promises. Who will stand by the poor Pandits?
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