Kashmiri Pandits issue 'Hum Wapas Aayenge' clarion call, pledge to return to Valley

January 19 will mark 30 years since the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. Ahead of the fateful date, many Kashmiri pandits expressed their hope of returning to their homeland one day, starting a campaign. 

Many members of the Kashmiri Pandit community took to social media and posted a video of them saying 'Hum Aayenge Apne Watan', the phrase used in the video is a dialogue from an upcoming movie, 'Shikara'.

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30 years of Kashmiri genocidal campaign

On January 19, 1990, lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave their homes in the Valley or convert to Islam, under threat of being killed by terrorists. Having been scattered to different parts of the country and world since then, the community has now expressed hope of returning to the place where their roots lie. 

Various renowned members of the community like Theatre actor Chandan Sadhu, Radio personality Khushboo Mattoo, Journalist Rahul Pandita, Noted political commentator Sunanda Vashisht took to Twitter and expressed hope of returning to the valley. #HumWapasAayenge has also been trending on Twitter and the Twitterati have extended their solidarity towards the Kashmiri Pandits. 

Theatre actor Chandan Sadhu took to Twitter and wrote that Kashmiri Pandits have shown "unimaginable resilience".

Political commentator Sunanda Vashisht posted a throwback image of herself and wrote how family albums were left behind when lives were getting rescued. She expressed that her resolve to go back home has strengthened.

Radio personality Khushboo Mattoo also tweeted a video, repeating a dialogue from Shikara:

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Central Government committed to bringing Kashmiri Pandits and Sufis back 

Earlier in July 2019, while talking in the Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that the central government is committed to bringing Kashmiri Pandits and Sufis back to the Valley. In his statement he had also expressed hope by saying soon a time will come when they will offer prayers at the famous Kheer Bhawani temple.

"Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave Kashmir. Many of their shrines were demolished. Sufism was targeted in Jammu and Kashmir. Sufism used to talk about unity and harmony but they were attacked. No voice was raised in favor of Kashmiri Pandits and Sufis when they were brutally attacked. Sufis used to talk about unity among Hindus and Muslims but they were forced to leave the Valley. Narendra Modi-led government is committed to bringing back Kashmiri Pandits," he had said.

The Central government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which gave a special status to the valley was also widely appreciated by the Kashmiri Pandit community. The community had also expressed its gratitude towards Prime Minister Modi for taking such a historic decision. 

While meeting a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits in the U.S. last year, Prime Minister Modi had acknowledged the hardships endured by the community following their exodus from their ancestral homeland back in 1989-1990 due to militancy.
"You have suffered a lot, but the world is changing. We have to move ahead together and build a new Kashmir," the Prime Minister had told the delegation.

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