Kashmiri Pandit outfit merges with Congress in Jammu

The All India Kashmiri Hindu Forum (AIKHF) chairman Rattan Lal Bhan said he decided to merge his outfit with the Congress as the former prime minister Manmohan Singh-led government had done a lot for Kashmiri Pandits.

Jammu: A Kashmiri Pandit outfit, All India Kashmiri Hindu Forum (AIKHF), merged with the Congress at the party headquarters here on Saturday.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani welcomed AIKHF chairman Rattan Lal Bhan and other office bearers into the party fold.

The AIKHF was formed in 1998. Hundreds of its members joining the Congress is a big boost for the party, Wani told reporters.

He also called on all Kashmiri Pandit organisations to join the party and accused the BJP-led central government of 'fooling' the community for the past 10 years.

"The BJP sold (their plight) across the country to come to power and assured the community that they will do a lot for their rehabilitation, giving them hope. The BJP has been in power for the last 10 years but failed to do any work worth even 10 paise for them," Wani said.

"I appeal to other Kashmiri Pandit groups to come back to the Congress as the BJP is only fooling them for the last 10 years. The Nehru family originally belongs to Kashmir and has a lot of sympathy for the displaced pandits and so does the Congress party as a whole," he added.

Bhan said he decided to merge his outfit with the Congress as the former prime minister Manmohan Singh-led government had done a lot for Kashmiri Pandits.

"We feel (like we are) back in our family. The BJP only exploited the pandits and did nothing for us," he said.