In a powerful cry for justice, prominent activist and director Ashok Pandit has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prioritize the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits on the somber 36th anniversary of their mass exodus. His Instagram video, laced with personal anguish, details the systematic terror that unfolded in 1990.
Midnight on January 18-19 brought blackout conditions to the valley, with only mosques powered to spew hate speeches calling for the annihilation of Kashmiri Hindus. Threatened with extinction, families fled en masse, leaving behind centuries-old roots.
Pandit lamented the community’s refugee status persisting in camps like Jammu’s Jagti, the biggest such facility. ‘No bigwig politician has stepped foot there amid the squalor—no electricity, no sanitation,’ he said, decrying the exclusion of Pandit voices from policy-making.
Directly addressing Modi, he proposed a senior-level committee to inspect conditions, identify gaps, and deliver comprehensive support. ‘Provide them dignity, security, and a path back home,’ Pandit implored, highlighting 36 years of unfulfilled promises.
The 1990 violence, orchestrated by militants, displaced lakhs and altered Kashmir’s demographic fabric forever. While rehabilitation packages exist, implementation lags, fueling discontent.
Pandit’s appeal resonates amid ongoing regional tensions, prompting calls for accountability. This milestone demands more than remembrance—it calls for bold steps toward healing a wounded community and restoring their rightful place in the valley.