There is bitterness, despair, even resignation. From the looks of how things are going, Kashmiri Pandits have little to hope for. It has been twenty-eight years since 4,00,000 Hindus바카라most of them Pandits바카라were forced to flee the Kashmir Valley. Most of them believe they have lost their birthland forever.
Different known voices from the community have tried to articulate their own possible solutions in the absence of any concrete ones. There바카라s actor Anupam Kher, who thinks that the abrogation of Article 370바카라that grants special autonomous status to J&K바카라is the first step towards bringing some kind of 바카라normalcy바카라 to the state, while veteran journalist and author Mohan K. Tikku is convinced that just changing the demography of the strife-torn state is not going to help in any way. He says revoking Article 370, which bars people from outside the state to buy property and settle down there, is not a solution.
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바카라It is a red-herring. First, the government is nowhere close to removing Article 370. Even if that happens, it won바카라t help,바카라 Tikku says, citing the example of how Britain tried to change the population profile of North Ireland. 바카라The issue was not resolved. Human geography cannot be changed.바카라
Kher, however, stresses on his remedy바카라 the long road of first changing the demographic atmosphere in the state to make it 바카라conducive바카라 for the return of Pandits바카라what he calls the 바카라opening up바카라 of Kashmir. 바카라If Indians from other parts of the country are allowed to buy property, the scenario will change. Let people from Bengal, Punjab and anywhere in the country go to Kashmir. The socio-economic dynamics will change if there바카라s a multi-cultural environment. It will benefit everyone, especially the youth,바카라 believes Kher.
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Once the outsiders come in, Kher thinks development will follow. 바카라Let them set up factories, create jobs and open educational institutions. Kashmir needs to be brought out of its morass.바카라
He바카라s all for 바카라modernisation바카라: 바카라Srinagar should be the first Smart City. Once development starts, normalcy will return. And so will the Pandits. Once there are people from all over the country living in Kashmir, the Pandits will feel secure and comfortable to return.바카라
Author of a book on Kashmir exodus, Rahul Pandita agrees with Kher바카라s solution, that abrogating Article 370 and a mixed population may make the Pandits think about returning. But he feels his demographic altering solution is difficult to implement with the 바카라majority community바카라 in Kashmir in denial mode. 바카라There is talk about truth and reconciliation. How can there be any reconciliation if there is no acknowledgement of the pain suffered by the Kashmiri Pandits,바카라 he says.
A lot of water has flown under the bridge since 1990. Tikku believes that there is nothing for the Pandits to go back to in the Valley. 바카라Even if the Pandits get to go back, what will they do there? The government says it will help them get a house or comes up with controversial ideas, like the proposal for a separate colony. There is much more to life than just finding a house to stay. The government does not have a proper strategy,바카라 says Tikku, adding that there are other players like Pakistan who also make the situation difficult.
He suggests that the government should curb corruption in administration in the state. 바카라The government of India has been pumping in crores of rupees in the state and is responsible for partly financing anti-India insurgency. The ISI has proved to be more efficient so far. Whenever our government has tried something, it has been torpedoed from across the border. We have to be far more efficient,바카라 is Tikku바카라s advise.
Tikku is also not sure if the 바카라muscular military바카라 way is the right way. 바카라Even if it is a solution, it will come at a huge cost as we have seen in Sri Lanka and Punjab,바카라 he says.
All of them agree that the situation in Kashmir is worse than what it was in 1990. Tikku says there is greater radicalisation of youth, while Pandita says that the situation is much worse for the Muslims of Kashmir also. 바카라How will the Pandits go back when it is becoming difficult even for the Muslims to stay there? They are disturbed. They suffer from depression.바카라 Kher talks about the 바카라wounded soul바카라 of Kashmir. 바카라You can see the haunted look on the face of Kashmiris. Their eyes reflect a damaged soul,바카라 he says.