No Kashmiri Pandit migrated from J&K since August 2019: Govt informs Parliament
Sharing data on terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley, the ministry of home affairs said, “From August 5, 2019 till July 9 this year, 128 security force personnel and 118 civilians have been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.”
No Kashmiri Pandit has migrated from Jammu and Kashmir since abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the Union government informed parliament on Wednesday.
Sharing data on terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley, the ministry of home affairs said, “From August 5, 2019 till July 9 this year, 128 security force personnel and 118 civilians have been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Of the 118 civilians killed, five were Kashmiri Pandits and 16 belonged to other Hindu and Sikh communities, minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha.
Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), 5,502 Kashmiri Pandits have been provided jobs in different departments of the J&K government in the Valley, he said. “Further, as per the records, no Kashmiri Pandit has reportedly migrated from the valley during the said period,” Rai said in a written reply to a question raised by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh.
Responding to a question by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on terror attacks in Kashmir, Rai said: “There has been substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021.”
“The government has taken various measures to normalise the situation in the Kashmir Valley. These include a robust security and intelligence grid, proactive operations against terrorists, intensified night patrolling and checking at Nakas, security arrangements through appropriate deployment and high level of alertness maintained by the security forces,” he added.
Replying to a question by DMK Rajya Sabha member M Shanmugam, who asked by when the situation in Kashmir would be brought to normal so that democratic process could start in the valley, the junior home minister said: “The government has taken several steps for all round development of Jammu and Kashmir including implementation of Prime Minister Development Package, 2015; flagship programmes; establishment of IIT and IIM; two new AIIMS and fast tracking of infrastructure projects in roads, power, etc.”
“Besides, a new central scheme is being implemented for industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir with an outlay of ₹28,400 crores which would provide employment to 4.5 lakh (450,000) persons,” he added.
On the election process in J&K, Rai said the government had constituted a delimitation commission, which has notified orders on March 14 and May 5 on delimitation of parliamentary and legislative assembly constituencies of J&K. “Thereafter, the Election Commission of India has initiated revision of electoral rolls of voters of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to schedule elections is the prerogative of Election Commission of India,” the minister added.
Hasnain Masoodi, the National Conference MP from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, said that statistics of violent incidents and of loss of life in such incidents over a period of time cannot used as indicators of normalcy. “Only because there were fewer incidents this year as compared to previous year doesn’t lead to the conclusion that peace, let alone durable peace, is restored,” he said. “Again, there can be no trade-offs between fulfilment of aspirations and development. Development in absence of peace is not possible and if at all achieved would not be durable.”
PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said the entire country was told that abrogation of Article 370 would end the turmoil in J&K and usher a new dawn. “It’s been almost three years since abrogation and there is no end to bloodshed in Kashmir. On top of that 21 minority killings since abrogation narrate the gravity of the situation on ground and in last decade this I believe is the highest number in last decade.”
He said a process of reverse migration from Valley has started with many families already moved to Jammu and others continue to protest at various KP settlements for relocation out of valley.
“So the government must be held accountable for all the promises made since abrogation, i.e. from bringing in peace to rehabilitation of KPs,” he said.
J&K BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said that after the revocation of Article 370, the pace of development has increased across J&K. “Work is going on at a fast pace on various developmental projects. The number of terrorist attacks has come down and there are no more protests happening here. Militancy is in its final stage.”