New Delhi, Sep 3 — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday urged the government to identify those who are involved in issuing the recent threats to Kashmiri Pandits, decades after their exodus from the Valley, while the Congress and the CPI were doubtful of whether the threats were genuine or not, as it could be used for "political gains".
The reactions come days after two letters purportedly issued by the United Liberation Council (UCL) targeted Kashmiri Pandit employees and revealed their personal details.
Speaking to IANS, PDP spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo said: "The people, political parties, and political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir want the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits to be made possible. This is everyone’s wish. If there are any obstacles to this, those need to be looked into. We need to identify who these people or agencies are that are preventing their return, as this is dangerous for Jammu and Kashmir.
However, CPI MP P. Santhosh Kumar said: "Whether these fresh threats are genuine or not, that is all the more important."
"If it is genuine, of course, we are with the Kashmiri Pandits and each and every citizen of Kashmir, India. Kashmiris are very much Indians. So, we stand with Indians. But at the same time, whether this is genuine or not, that is to be examined properly," he stressed.
Congress leader Rakesh Sinha alleged that attempts are being made through such threats to create an atmosphere which stops the Central government from returning statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Further, he accused the BJP-led Centre of "attacking the federal structure".
Questioning why action is not being taken against the threats, Congress MP Manoj Kumar criticised the Centre. He claimed: "Time and again this issue is brought to the forefront to make political gains. This should not happen. It is extremely unfortunate."
Meanwhile, J&K BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur hit out at the National Conference after party President and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah questioned why Kashmiri Pandit employees were receiving threat letters while senior Hindu officers posted in Jammu and Kashmir were not.
"The National Conference’s line is one of soft separatism. In one way or another, they are giving Pakistan a clean chit. This has been the policy of the National Conference. The threats being issued to Kashmiri Pandits, now for the fourth time, are a very serious matter. This is a concern for the agencies as well as the Kashmiri Pandits," Thakur told IANS.
According to Kashmiri Pandit Bhushan Lal, the community is being treated like a "football".
"As if we can be kicked from one side to another," he told IANS.
Expressing his disappointment with such threats, he said: "We are residents of this place. Why do we receive notices every day telling us to leave? What have we done? Is this not our motherland? Are we not citizens of this country? Are we not residents of this democratic country? What crime have we committed? Is being a Kashmiri Pandit our only fault? It seems it is our misfortune that we were born in Kashmir."
"It has been 36 years since we were displaced from our own land," Bhushan Lal added.