New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) on Monday described the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir as “genocide” and demanded a framework for the recourse, rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced people in the valley.
Addressing a press conference here, GKPD co-founder US-based Surinder Kaul said the recognition of the “genocide” is the first step in giving justice to the people who were forced to leave the valley.
Asked whether the GKPD supported the “Genocide Bill” circulated by the Panun Kashmir, an organisation that advocates a separate homeland for Kashmir Pandits in the valley, Kaul said, “It is a good bill. The United Nations Genocide Convention to which India is a signatory said that every country should have their genocide bills to protect their citizens.” The Panun Kashmir had circulated a bill for the recognition of the genocide of Kashmiri Pandit in December 2019.
The GKPD press conference was called amid a raging controversy surrounding ‘The Kashmir Files’ — a film based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits.
GKPD leaders who claimed to have provided intellectual support to the movie said it should not be seen through the binary of Hindus-Muslim but as a movie that highlights the impact of terrorism on human lives.
Kaul stated that the movie is not “bashing” any community and it is based on facts to highlight the impact of global terrorism.
“History should be taught well. The movie does not attempt to polarise people but to inform them about the events that happened in the past,” he said.
“Recognising Kashmiri Pandit genocide is the one-point mission of GKPD. It is also the first step in giving justice…then comes the complete genocide framework on how to manage the recourse, restitution, return, rehabilitation and resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandits in their homeland,” Kaul said.
He claimed that the GKPD had submitted a vision document on the rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
Utpal Kaul, international coordinator of the GKPD and an earlier RSS leader from the valley, alleged that the Kashmiri Pandit community is facing extinction. “It is imperative that the government engages with the representatives of the community so that solutions can be agreed upon,” he said.
Dismissing accusations that the movie is not based on facts, Surinder Kaul claimed that the movie is 100 per cent accurate. However, he avoided reply to a question that National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah was not the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir when the exodus took place in 1990, as shown in the film.
“We facilitated 700 testimonials from the first-hand victims of genocide and ethnic cleansing. It is based on truth and the movie was made after four years of research. Those who have to attack credibility because they are getting exposed will do it,” he claimed. PTI VA BUN SKL SMN
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