Can Omar Abdullah bring Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley?

The rise of militant attacks in J&K and the lack of initiative by the NC-Congress government raise doubts.

On October 16, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in a Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)’s chief minister ushering in hopes in the minds millions, including Kashmiri Pandits.

Earlier, NC chief Farooq Abdullah claimed that his party's government would work to ensure the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. The NC had also promised in its election manifesto to support the ‘dignified return’ of Pandits. However, so far Omar Abdullah's government has not officially broached the topic.

In the first session of the J&K Assembly after six years, the topic was not discussed, as the debate focused on Article 370, with the House passing a resolution calling for its restoration and the reinstatement of statehood.

Unfulfilled dream

On August 5, 2019, the Kashmiri Pandits celebrated the abrogation of Article 370 in the hope that it would pave the way for their long-awaited return to the Valley. 

More than five years later, this remains an unfulfilled dream, as the community waits in the shadow of broken promises. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government, which revoked Article 370, has failed to bring Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley in a meaningful manner. It had long claimed that Article 370 was a barrier to peace and development, asserting that its abrogation would resolve longstanding issues and enable the return of Pandits; but these expectations have not been realised. Now there is an uptick in violence which further complicates matters.

Thirty-four years ago, the Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee their homes, and the pain of separation from their roots has never healed for the ~3.5 lakh displaced individuals. However, about 808 Kashmiri Pandit families stayed in the Valley amid rising militancy, and in recent years, around 3,800 Pandits have returned, taking up government jobs under a special central package and living in guarded accommodations throughout Kashmir.

What the governments, both at the Centre and UT level, need to develop is a roadmap for the systematic return and peaceful future of the Pandits in the Valley. Unfortunately, such a roadmap is missing.

Targeted violence

The BJP has spoken about the need for Pandits to return to the Valley, and this has raised hopes among the people. However, both opposition parties and Pandit forums have time and again accused the BJP of merely exploiting the exodus of Pandits for political gains. For instance, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray recently criticised the BJP over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims about the benefits of Article 370's abrogation.

The administration has failed to establish a conducive atmosphere for the return of the Pandits. Despite a decline in militancy, attacks on security forces, civilians, and political leaders continue to plague J&K. For example, between 2019 and 2023, at least seven Kashmiri Pandits, including two political activists, were killed in militant attacks in the Valley. 

Among those killed, the assassination of prominent Kashmiri Pandit businessman Makhan Lal Bindroo, on October 5, 2021, in a high-security area of Srinagar, marked the first killing of a Pandit civilian since the 2003 Nadimarg massacre, which claimed the lives of 24 Pandits.

The return

With the return of the NC-Congress coalition government after a six-year gap, political discussions on the return of Pandits to the Valley have reignited. Last month, J&K BJP leader and Union minister Jitendra Singh stated that Kashmir needs the Kashmiri Pandit community and that the region's diverse culture must be restored, emphasising that the day is not far when both communities will live together in peace and harmony.

For Omar Abdullah, bringing back Kashmiri Pandits must be a top priority. Both the chief minister and the Lieutenant Governor need to work in tandem because the security arrangements would have to be managed by the L-G who heads the unified command.

It will be closely watched if and how the Kashmiri Pandits return to the Valley, and what will be the efforts taken by the Omar Abdullah government to realise it. For more than three decades the community has been living in hope; how long will this winter of unfulfilled promises last?

(Irfan Amin Malik is a J&K-based journalist. X: @irfanaminmalik.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.