19 January 1990 has been etched not only in those who suffered but the whole country. The exodus of pandits of Kashmir that took place 32 years back became the worst nightmare is still difficult to digest. The words that came out of the speakers at night on 19 Jan 1990 still echo in the valley and roads of Kashmir – “Ralive, Tsaliv ya Galive (either convert to Islam, leave the land, or die).” The threats started from 1989 when in September, A pandit political activist, Tika Lal Taploo was shot dead outside his residence. But 19 Jan saw a demented assault when, thousands of Pandits had to leave their own homes and only carry memories of the place they belonged. On 19 Jan 2021, in Jammu Kashmiri pandits held a protest where one of the activists holding the tricolor said,” We are waiting to return back to our home, motherland.” These people have still not been able to go back to their homes and those who stayed back still stay in fear of what will happen next. They raised slogans of ‘Hum Wapas Ayenge’ (we will return).
It is known to be a black day for the Kashmiri Pandits because it was on this day that they were forced out under the threat of violence by extremists and the radicals, brought fear among their own people. Ravi Kachroo, one among those who was forced to flee the Valley three decades ago, said that January 19 was observed as the ‘Exodus Day’. “We had to leave our homes, our land, after being threatened by terrorists. The terrorists used loudspeakers to ask all non-Muslims to leave Kashmir. We were left with no choice but to run for our lives,” he said.Another participant at the gathering, Leena Razdan said, “They shot my uncle dead in 1989. After that my father took us to Jammu from Anantnag but we faced discrimination even there. I had to leave schooling midway and live like a refugee in my own country”. These personal experiences are not just in Lakhs because after them their children still feel lost to where they belong.
The question that caused grave distress was how would they live in the valley of Kashmir without the goodwill of the majority community with which they have had centuries of good and brotherly relations. To these Kashmiri Pandits their neighbors were neither an enemy nor a rival but brothers of the same land.
For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir this open, threatening and unabashed tirade was let loose against them on such a large scale. The administration then collapsed and the law and order were thrown to the winds. Suspicions stayed in the air and in a few days everything changed and the Pandits came to be called ‘the other’. However, the hate campaign and the protests carried forward through inhuman means of violence and struck fear among the entire Kashmiri population to the extent that nobody was prepared to show even the slightest of humanity to the Pandits.
Now, after 32 years, in 2022 and further on, a change can be foreseen where we are no longer radicalized and neither we will let hate divide our land and country. This nation is at peace and will welcome its people with open arms. Kashmir, heaven on Earth has over the years welcomed tourists from all over the world. So, why cannot we welcome our own men, women and children who belong here.
“Happiness often is all about living together in peace and harmony.” –Axel
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