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Kashmiri Pandits welcome reopening of judge Ganjoo murder case
Welcoming the decision to reopen the case, Dr Mahesh Kaul, a prominent writer on Kashmir and a community leader, said, “The genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, which happened in 1990, is actually unaddressed and trivialised. The solution lies in enacting Hindu Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act.”
Welcoming re-opening of the murder case of retired high court judge Neelkanth Ganjoo, the internally displaced Kashmiri Pandit community on Tuesday demanded constitution of certain genocide prevention acts to safeguard the community.
Welcoming the decision to reopen the case, Mahesh Kaul, a prominent writer on Kashmir and a community leader, said, “The genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, which happened in 1990, is actually unaddressed and trivialised. The solution lies in enacting Hindu Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act to stop Hindu genocide across India because the genocide which took place in Kashmir in 1990 is being replicated in other parts.”
“The solution lies in having a strict anti-genocide law to safeguard the rights of vulnerable sections of Hindus in various pockets. The solution to the reversal of Pandits’ genocide lies in complete political empowerment to address their genocide, creating commissions and documenting the genocidal attrition, which has taken over the years. The genocide in Kashmir has led to duplication of genocides in other parts of the country,” he added.
Another community leader, Veer Saraf said, “Its better late than never. This has been the first such instance by any popular government to probe innocent killings. Had the government of those times nipped the evil in the bud, it would not have grown into a demon.’
“Though it’s late, I welcome this step. I don’t know how SIA will be successful in collecting evidences and witnesses because most of the witnesses might have died by now. At the same time every innocent death of Pandits and Sikhs in Kashmir has to be probed and taken to logical conclusion because the community faced worst kind of genocide in human history,” added Saraf.
“Nobody talked about our genocide over the years. We expect that justice will be done to every killing of Sikhs and Pandits in Valley in 1990s,” he said.
Sumit Hakhu, a senior journalist, recalled the incident. Being a child he had accompanied his father to the market on the fateful day when justice Ganjoo was shot dead.
“We had de-boarded a bus when gun shots were heard and people ran helter skelter. I heard them saying that Justice Ganjoo was shot dead. There were celebrations by his attackers, who were saying that the death of Maqbool Butt has been avenged. My father and I scampered home,” said Hakhu.
