Row over 'separate colonies' for Pandits

Separatists, Oppn slam decision, call for a strike on Saturday to oppose the move

Amid reports that Jammu and Kashmir government has agreed to build “separate colonies” for Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) in the Valley, separatists and opposition National Conference (NC) have vehemently opposed the move.

They called the move as an Israeli ploy and warned it will divide the people and pose security risks.

Separatist groups have called for a strike on Saturday to protest the move.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Tuesday asked the Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to provide land for “composite townships” for Kashmiri Pandits. “The Chief Minister assured the Union Home Minister that the state government will acquire and provide the land in the Valley at the earliest,” a Press Information Bureau (PIB) handout read.

JKLF chief Yasin Malik said, “Separate colonies for KPs is a conspiracy to build the walls of hate in the name of religion.”

While addressing a press conference here he alleged that Mufti has been deputed for implementing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agenda in Kashmir. Malik called for protests against the proposed move on Friday and strike in Kashmir Valley on Saturday. Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq alleged that the move would turn Kashmir into Palestine and they would resist it.

Hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani alleged that communal forces want to implement their long pending desire of making another Palestine out of Jammu & Kashmir. “Majority of the Pandit brothers are well settled in either Jammu or in Delhi, but whoever is desirous to return will be welcomed,” he said.

“But we expect that they (KPs) too understand this dirty game of the communal forces and will not become part of it,” he said and also called for a strike against the move on Saturday.

National Conference also toed the line of separatists saying the party won’t support the government decision.

“This whole idea of ‘composite townships’ is aimed to engineer a long-lasting divide between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits and will create a situation of ‘ghettoisation’ – which is contrary to what KPs and Muslims wants,” NC general secretary and legislator Ali Mohammad Sagar said in a statement.

However, the PDP said the “composite townships” planned would not be an exclusive area for KPs and would be open to other communities as well.