Kashmiri Pandit legacy central to Kashmir’s composite culture: Dr Jitendra Singh
Jammu, Dec 27: Expressing concern over the continuing dilution of the community’s cultural and linguistic ethos, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has stressed the need for sustained efforts to preserve the Kashmiri Pandit legacy and emphasised that preserving the community’s cultural, linguistic and civilisational ethos is essential for sustaining Kashmir’s composite culture, which remains incomplete without the Kashmiri Pandits.
The Minister said that the Modi government has taken decisive and sustained action against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir over the past eleven years, resulting in a significant decline in terror incidents, stone-pelting and targeted killings. He said this reflects strong political will, and marks a clear departure from earlier approaches that lacked firmness in dealing with terrorism.
Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking at a programme organised here to mark the death anniversary of Pandit Prem Nath Bhat, a noted lawyer and journalist who was killed by terrorists on 27 December, 1989. Paying tributes to Pandit Bhat, the Minister said his sacrifice symbolises the suffering endured by the Kashmiri Pandit community due to terrorism and targeted violence.
Dr Jitendra Singh said terrorism inflicted grave human suffering and severely disrupted the social harmony of Kashmir. He noted that for several years, the human rights of victims of terrorism, particularly Kashmiri Pandits, were overlooked due to a selective and inconsistent definition of terrorism. This, he said, aggravated the injustice faced by those who were forced to leave their homes and abandon their ancestral roots. He said the Kashmiri Pandit community has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and an inherent capacity to survive and thrive despite decades of displacement and adversity.
Highlighting Kashmir’s centuries-old composite and pluralistic culture, Dr Jitendra Singh said Kashmiri Pandits have been an inseparable part of the Valley’s civilisational fabric. Their contributions to education, literature, administration and social values provided a stabilising and rational influence that benefitted the entire society. He expressed concern over the continuing dilution of cultural and linguistic ethos and stressed the need for sustained efforts to preserve the Kashmiri Pandit legacy. The Minister emphasised that preserving the community’s cultural, linguistic and civilisational ethos is essential for sustaining Kashmir’s composite culture, which remains incomplete without the Kashmiri Pandits.
Dr Jitendra Singh assured that the government is sincere, trustworthy and fully committed to addressing the long-pending demands of the Kashmiri Pandit community. He said he would ensure that these demands are taken up and addressed to the maximum extent possible. He also suggested that the community undertake a structured exercise to compile demands already met by the government, and clearly identify the remaining issues. This consolidated representation, he said, could then be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration.
Dr Jitendra Singh further noted that the government’s approach aims not only at rehabilitation but also at preserving the cultural and social fabric of the Valley, ensuring that the Kashmiri Pandit community’s contributions are recognised and sustained for future generations.
