Srinagar: For the first time in more than three decades, Kashmiri Pandits have registered a housing society in Srinagar to seek land from the government at nominal rates for their permanent settlement in the valley.
This comes amid growing disappointment among Kashmiri Pandits over the prolonged delay in the government's plans for their return and rehabilitation.
The Kashmiri Pandits have formally registered the 'The Displaced Kashmiri Residents Housing Cooperative, Srinagar' with the Registrar Cooperative Societies in Jammu and Kashmir.
Satish Mahaldar, secretary of the society, said the initiative is meant to integrate the migrants with the Muslim population instead of living in isolation in exclusive townships.
The housing society comprises 11 Kashmiri Pandits and two Sikhs, all of whom fled the valley at the onset of militancy followed by selective minority killings since 1989.
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Pandit rehabilitation 'used for electoral gains'
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Mahaldar said he believes the community's return to Kashmir has been politicised for electoral gains across the political spectrum.
Stating there was hardly any on-ground progress as far as the return of the community was concerned, Mahaldar said a list of 419 families who are ready to return to Kashmir was submitted to the central government in 2019.
"But there is no progress on it till date," Mahaldar told ETV Bharat. "For the last 4-5 years, the government claims normalcy has returned and as such we want to return to our roots now. But many among us have sold out their land and houses over the years. As such we have set up a housing society for seeking land from the government at nominal rates," he said.
Once the list is completed as the registration for the society was thrown open last week, the society plans to approach the government to seek land at a nominal price anywhere in Srinagar, Mahaldar added.
"For instance, we can seek 100 kanals (12.5 acre) of land and it can be turned into plots for each family and a community centre(will also be setup). We will start from Srinagar first and can shift to villages later. But it can accommodate any Kashmiri migrant hailing from all communities," Mahaldar added.
He is optimistic about rebuilding trust despite a large section of Kashmiri Pandits opposing his plan considering a spate of target killing in the valley in the last five years.
"This is why we call it repatriation. My roots and rituals are there. Like I climb the stairs of Shankaracharya temple, I must also visit the shrine of Makdoom sahib," Mahaldar said.
Government's response
On the floor of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 2010, the then government claimed 219 Kashmiri Pandits including top government functionaries were killed by terrorists in the Valley.
This forced over 62,000 Kashmiri Pandits to flee from the valley to Jammu, New Delhi and other parts of the country for safety, abandoning their native places.
The community claimed their homes were plundered and encroached forcing many to sell their properties in 'distress'. For this, the government launched an online portal in August 2021, allowing the migrants to report on encroachment and distress sale.
The Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, 1997 describes them as "migrants".
The central government in order to facilitate their return under the Prime Minister’s Development Package 2015 and Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan 2008 created 6,000 jobs for the Pandits in the Valley.
Of them, 5724 Kashmiri migrants have been appointed, according to the official data of August 2024. Besides, 6000 transit accommodations in north, central and south Kashmir are being constructed for employees.
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