Kashmiri Pandit delegation meets Amit Shah; property particulars for database sought

A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits met Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday afternoon in the national capital. The Pandits reportedly thanked the Home Minister for revoking Article 370 and discussed multiple issues.

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Shah's meeting with Pandits

The meeting was held by the representatives of the Global Kashmiri Pandits Diaspora. The association, in a release, said, "The delegation expressed their heartfelt thanks to the minister for maintaining a consistent position on its promise to rehabilitate the displaced Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir valley. The delegation also thanked the minister for abrogating article 370 and 35A whose pernicious impact has destroyed the Kashmiri society, culture, civilization, economic progress and the ability to lead a peaceful life in the valley."

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The members had five points that they wanted to discuss with Shah, which included - 

1. Form an advisory council of Kashmiri Pandits who can work under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs that will jointly come up with a plan for full restorative justice for the Kashmiri Pandits.
2. Have representation from mainstream community organizations, youth representation, women representation, eminent community think tank members, representation from Jagati, rural and urban representation and overseas representation.
3. Request to grant the community it’s demand for a single concentrated rehabilitation with employment and the other rights enshrined in the constitution of India.
4. Restoration and rebuilding of our temples, shrines and community assets including crematoriums.
5. Setting up of an enquiry commission to investigate the cause of our genocide and ethnic cleansing with proactive steps to initiate legal proceedings and secure conviction for those who were culpable

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Shah is said to have heard their demands and conveyed that rehabilitation of our community is an utmost priority of the government. Shah asked the community to compile a database of all the properties that have been either occupied or encroached so that the government can initiate redressal mechanisms to restore the property to the rightful owner.

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