|
Introduction
Kashmiri Hindus
are in their twentieth year of exile after Islamic
religious fundamentalists in the valley of Kashmir
took to armed subversion and terrorism and drove
them out of their centuries old habitat.
Panun
Kashmir in its December 1991 convention
Margdarshan, staged in the city of Jammu,
introduced the Historic Homeland Resolution. It
was unanimously adopted by more than a thousand
delegates of the exiled community, who flocked
from all towns and cities, where they have taken
refuge, and who represented diverse shades of
opinion. The operative part of the resolution
demanded:
(a)
the establishment of a Homeland for the Kashmiri
Hindus in the Valley of Kashmir comprising the
regions of the Valley to the East and North of
river Jhelum.
(b)
that the Constitution of India be made applicable
in letter and spirit in this Homeland in order to
ensure right to life, liberty, freedom of
expression and faith, equality and rule of law.
(c)
that the Homeland be placed under the Central
administration with a Union Territory status; and
(d)
that all the seven hundred thousand Kashmiri
Hindus, including those who have been driven out
of Kashmir in the past and yearn to return to
their homeland and those who were forced to leave
on account of terrorist violence in Kashmir, be
settled in the homeland on an equitable basis with
dignity and honor.
Since
the resounding success of the convention and
whole-hearted endorsement of the Resolution which
has become the rallying point for all
intellectuals, political scientists and the common
man alike, Panun Kashmir has transferred into a
beacon-light for the community. It has evolved
into a movement symbolising the hopes, the urges
and the aspirations of the community.
There
have been wide ranging discussions and debates
amongst the political, journalistic and lay
circles in the Kashmir Valley, in the State of
Jammu & Kashmir and in the whole country on
the Homeland demand. This demand has received
great appreciation and understanding over the last
one year from many quarters. Though a large
segment of the exiled community is in full
agreement with and committed to homeland there may
be some who may have reservations. Being secular,
nationalistic and democratic to the core, the
community has the right to rationalize this idea.
In the process, there will be many queries and
doubts about the bold concept for the repatriation
of the exiles with full political, constitutional
and legal guarantees. It is to answer these
queries and to clear the fog of cynicism and
misunderstanding created by vested interests and
the enemies of the community that Panun Kashmir
feels it a duty to come out with this booklet
which attempts to provide a brief outline of the
genesis of the demand for a homeland, and follows
it up with explanations to the pertinent questions
relevent to this demand. We hope that this booklet
shall provide some insight into the historical
compulsions of the community to ask for a homeland
in the Valley of Kashmir. It will be our endeavour
to continue this debate in the future as well,
till we achieve a large measure of success in
convincing all right-thinking people about the
urgency, genuineness and sincerety of this demand.
However, we caution the members of the community
to remain vigilant against a number of divisive
forces within the community and outside, who have
been active, on their own or at the behest of the
terrorists and other enemies of the community and
of the country, at spreading canards and
disinformation against the demand for a homeland;
thus, raising doubts in the minds of the people of
this beleaguered nation and compounding the
confusion that prevails in the community in its
exiled state.
Panun
Kashmir has unshakable faith in the unity and
integrity of India. It is wedded to secularism,
democracy, rule of law and respect for all
religious faiths. It is opposed to communalism,
religious fundamentalism and terrorism in any form
or guise. And it is committed to the repatriation
of all exiles from the Valley of Kashmir to their
homeland with dignity and honor.
| 
Previous
Section
