Other States - Jammu & Kashmir   

NCM forms panel on Kashmiri Pandits

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 16. The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) today decided to set up a committee comprising some of its members besides representatives of Muslim and Kashmiri Pandit organisations to interact with the Jammu and Kashmir Government, political leaders of all hues in the State and even extremist groups — if possible — to help create an atmosphere conducive for the return of the Pandits to the strife-torn Valley.

This emerged after a meeting here between representatives of the Pandits and Muslim organisations under the aegis of the Commission. Briefing mediapersons after the two-hour-long meeting, the NCM Chairman, Tarlochan Singh, said the former Chief Secretary of the State and the head of the Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians, Moosa Raza, would be the convener of the committee which would have the former NCM member, Vijay Kumar Dar, as co-convener. Giving details about what transpired at today's meeting, Mr. Singh said a conscious decision was taken at the outset to steer clear of all political and contentious issues.

Mr. Raza said the committee would make all efforts to visit the State and begin the process of dialogue at the earliest. "The Muslim leadership is of the view that the community had failed in preventing the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. Now it is our responsibility to ensure their return home so that they no longer have to live like refugees in their own country.''

Besides resolving to help the Kashmiri Pandits resettle in their native place, the Muslim organisations which participated in today's meeting also decided to set up their own Kashmir Cells to generate awareness among their members about the plight of the community.

Some of the Muslim organisations were keen that the Commission take up the plight of their community in various States. The commission sought the intervention of a representative of the All India Milli Council on the Pandits' issue to keep other issues from overtaking the agenda of the day.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• NCM forms panel on Kashmiri Pandits
• Hurriyat faction strikes a conciliatory note
• Militant killed in inter-group rivalry

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu