Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD):As the Kashmir Valley gears up for the inauguration of a historic railway line connecting it seamlessly with the rest of India, the Kashmiri Pandit community has renewed its call for a concrete roadmap for their rehabilitation. The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) on Monday issued a strongly-worded statement, questioning the decades-long delay in their dignified return to the Valley and accusing successive governments of turning their tragedy into a political gimmick.
Sanjay K. Tickoo, president of KPSS, said the community has waited over 35 years not just for infrastructure, but for justice, security, and the right to return home with dignity.
“The road of exile has stretched far too long. We are not asking for charity—we are demanding our right. When the Prime Minister inaugurates the railway line to Kashmir, we ask him to also announce a clear, time-bound roadmap for our return,” Tickoo told reporters.
In its statement, KPSS warned that if the Union Government fails to come up with a concrete policy within 60 days, the organization will approach the judiciary for redressal. The group has already submitted a formal representation to the Union Home Minister through the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Tickoo emphasized that past measures like the PM Job Package and temporary housing schemes have been inadequate and fail to address the core issues.
“Employment can’t replace homeland. A few jobs are not compensation for the loss of community, culture, and identity,” Tickoo said. “Rehabilitation must go beyond tokenism—it should include land rights, cultural preservation, political representation, and long-term security guarantees.
The statement also called for the establishment of a Truth and Justice Commission to formally acknowledge the 1990 exodus and the violence that led to it. KPSS warned against what it sees as growing attempts to rewrite history and erase the suffering of the Pandit community.
“Without truth, there can be no justice. Without justice, rehabilitation is just a mirage,” Tickoo added.
KPSS reiterated its commitment to “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” but questioned why that vision has failed to materialize for the Pandit community.
As celebrations around the new railway link unfold, the KPSS has turned the national spotlight onto what it describes as a “forgotten humanitarian crisis”—and has made it clear that the time for symbolic gestures is over.(DD)
