Last Sunday, another Kashmiri Hindu Sanjay Sharma was murdered in Kashmir. Why? Because he was a Hindu. This was his only ‘fault’. Many Kashmiri Hindus have been killed earlier also because of this ‘fault’. It is difficult to say when this process will stop, because the claims of the security of the remaining Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir are not proving true. For Kashmiri Hindus, Kashmir is proving to be like Afghanistan in a way. Just as there are only a few Hindu-Sikhs left in Afghanistan, the condition is similar in Kashmir too.

Kashmir has become a death trap for Kashmiri Hindus, proving to be like Afghanistan

Sanjay Sharma’s family was one of the few Kashmiri Hindus who did not leave Kashmir even when militancy was at its peak and Kashmiri Hindus were being selectively targeted. He may have had faith in the people around him and the security system of Kashmir, but Sanjay Sharma had to pay the price of this trust with his life. In the same way, the number of those who have paid this price has been increasing.

Sanjay Sharma was a security guard in a bank. Since his life was in danger, he was not going on duty for the last three-four months. Even after this he could not escape. He was a resident of Achhan village of Pulwama. At one time there were about sixty Kashmiri families in this village, but due to terror they fled from there. Sanjay Sharma’s family was the only Hindu family left in the village. After the murder of Sanjay Sharma, his three brothers are not able to understand whether they should migrate or remain in the village? Consider this that the terrorists could not tolerate a single Hindu family in the entire village.

After the killing of Sanjay Sharma, it will be difficult for the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the central government to persuade the handful of Kashmiri Hindus living in Kashmir not to consider leaving their homes and migration. Don’t know what the remaining Kashmiri Hindus are thinking, but it is a fact that when Kashmiri Hindus were killed one after the other last year, a lot of them thought it best to leave Kashmir. These were government employees. Before leaving Kashmir, he had demanded his transfer to Jammu. The government rejected this demand. Even after this he left Kashmir and came to Jammu. On this the government stopped his salary. By doing this, the government in a way forced them to go to Kashmir and work. Due to this compulsion, some have also returned to Kashmir, but it is difficult to say that they would be able to feel safe there.

Kashmiri Hindus cannot ignore how about three months back, a list of 56 Kashmiri Pandit employees working in the Valley was passed on to terrorist organizations under the Prime Minister’s Development Package. It also had information about their places of work and residence. Referring to this list, the terrorist organization The Resistance Front had threatened to eliminate Kashmiri Hindus. Whoever did the work of leaking the list of Kashmiri Hindu employees, it can be easily understood that there is no dearth of people in Kashmir who want Kashmiri Pandits to leave. It can also be easily understood that such people have nexus with terrorists.

The way terrorists have been selectively targeting Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir, it is natural to create panic among them. The terrorists are targeting them only to create panic among them. As long as the terrorists and their supporters are convinced that they will be able to target and terrorize Kashmiri Hindus and eventually force them to leave Kashmir, they will continue to be targeted. This has to be understood by the government as well as the security agencies. The claim of normalcy in Kashmir will not be accepted until the Kashmiri Hindus who came out after saving their lives return to their homes. In the present circumstances, it is not easy for Kashmiri Hindus to return home because the conditions there are not favorable for it.

Till the Kashmiri Hindus do not return to their homes, it cannot be concluded that everything will be fine if elections are held there. The return of Kashmiri Hindus should be ensured before elections are held. At present it is not easy. This difficult task must be made easier, even if it means taking steps like Israel took to settle the Jews. It is high time that the government sets up special colonies to settle Kashmiri Hindus. Ex-servicemen should be settled in these colonies till the situation becomes normal.

In the past when there was an initiative to make special colonies for Kashmiri Hindus, from National Conference to PDP opposed it saying that if Kashmiri Hindus have to come back then they should live among everyone like before. Living among them means putting their safety at risk. The Government of India must send a message that it will continue to ensure the return of Kashmiri Hindus and if they are targeted, it will replace them with ex-servicemen. Only by doing this, a message can be given to the terrorists and their supporters that targeting Kashmiri Hindus will not serve their purpose.

 

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