Mehbooba Mufti urges locals' role in Kashmiri Pandit rehabilitation

PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti urged the local populace to play a greater role than the government in rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits. She highlighted the poor living conditions of returnees and called for better housing and facilities like temples.

Mufti Calls for Local Role in Pandit Rehabilitation

In a significant appeal aimed at reconciliation and improved welfare, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged a shift in the discourse surrounding the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. Speaking in Anantnag, the former Chief Minister emphasised that the responsibility for reintegrating the community lies as much with the local populace as it does with the state. Mufti pleaded for social healing, pushing back against the tendency to dwell on past grievances. "People living here have a greater role to play than the government," she stated. "We must look ahead, not remain stuck in the past."

She pointed to the lived realities of Kashmiri Pandits who migrated back under the government's 'PM Package' for employment, highlighting that many are struggling with inadequate living conditions. "Many Kashmiri Pandits who returned under the PM package live in poor housing, with water and electricity problems," Mufti noted. "They need special support and care."

Beyond basic amenities, Mufti proposed a more comprehensive approach to rehabilitation that integrates physical and cultural support. She proposed investing in more robust housing and infrastructure to ensure that returnees have a dignified standard of living and acknowledged the importance of heritage. She called for the construction of "larger facilities and temples," framing these as essential to the identity and comfort of the returning community.

High Court moved over rehabilitation delays

Earlier, the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Srinagar issued notice to the respondents in a writ petition filed by The Displaced Kashmiri Residents Housing Cooperative Ltd., seeking implementation of long-pending rehabilitation commitments made for displaced Kashmiri Pandits. The petition is being pursued through Advocates Satya Anand Sabharwal and Sikander Hyaat Khan.

The petitioner society, registered under the J&K Self-Reliant Cooperative Act, 1999, has approached the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution, alleging that despite policy decisions, parliamentary recommendations, government orders, and judicial recognition extending over more than fifteen years, authorities have failed to operationalise rehabilitation measures for displaced Kashmiri Pandits.

According to the petition, the foundation of the rehabilitation framework lies in the 137th Report of the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs dated February 13, 2009, which recommended a comprehensive package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, including housing, livelihood opportunities, institutional support, and social reintegration. These recommendations were subsequently reflected in a Cabinet decision of the erstwhile Government of Jammu and Kashmir and formalised through Government Order No. Rev/MR/141 of 2009. (ANI)

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