12, Sep 2018 | CJP Team

Sanjay Tickoo, president of the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS), a CJP partner organisation, has issued a statement regarding a news report “telecasted by National Media about the so called threat to the Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir Valley”. Per Tickoo, the news item was “aimed to increase the trust deficit among the population living in the Valley” and to divert attention from issues regarding Articles 35A and 370.

Tickoo noted that, currently, the “State of Jammu and Kashmir is facing political instability”. His statement emphasised KPSS’ belief that “the religious minuscule minority (Kashmiri Pandit) who so ever is living in Kashmir Valley is living of his own and the kind of relationship maintained within their respective neighborhood.” It went on to say, “It seems that the news item about life threat to the religious minuscule minority (Kashmiri Pandit) in Kashmir Valley is a hoax pre-planned conspiracy and is aimed to sacrifice the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir Valley to gain some vested interest political mileage and to distract people’s attention from the issues related to Article 35-A and Article 370.”

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Tickoo added, “It also seems that by sacrificing the religious minuscule minority (Kashmiri Pandit) in Kashmir Valley, the vested interest agencies who are planning to do this heinous crime, want to justify the removal of Constitutional Articles, which give special status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, before the world bodies.”

According to Tickoo’s statement, after the news item was aired, some unscrupulous elements from “the local Majority Community are creating communal tension,” and are harassing the local Kashmiri Pandit population. Tickoo alleged that “these elements” were “openly telling the people” that if Kashmir Pandits had not “continued to live in the valley, the Security Forces would not…come during the night hours to disturb the Majority Community living in the area.” Tickoo noted that the onus now lies on “the local Majority Community,” who he said “are unable to stop” those “with vested interests who want to permanently damage and dislodge the Kashmir Pandits living in the Valley.”

Tickoo stressed in his statement that the Kashmir Pandit minority has “full faith in the masses and more particularly on their respective neighborhood, who always stand at the hour of need and will not allow past mistakes to happen again which can permanently damage the social fabric of Kashmir Valley. We believe in unity against those trying to destroy our existence in Kashmir Valley.” He called on Kashmir Pandits in the Valley to be cautious, and inform their neighbourhoods about any security issue.

Tickoo’s complete statement may be read here:

Related:

KPSS writes to J&K Governor raising safety concerns of Kashmiri Pandits

Stark Realities of the Kashmiri Pandit Struggle 

Kashmiri Pandit leader Sanjay Tickoo talks about Governor’s Rule in J&K