'Representations to accord minority status to Kashmiri Pandits received'

Representations have been received from various associations of Kashmiri Pandits for according minority status to the community in Jammu and Kashmir, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Representations have been received from various associations of Kashmiri Pandits for according minority status to the community in Jammu and Kashmir, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

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"These representations have been sent to Jammu and Kashmir, as the issue of declaring any community as minority in the state comes under the purview of the Jammu and Kashmir government," minister of state for home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in reply to a written question.

Chaudhary, however, said: "No proposal for according minority status to Kashmiri Pandits is under consideration of the central government."

According to official data, 24,202 families migrated after militancy raised its ugly head in the Valley in 1990. A total number of 38,119 families are registered with the Jammu and Kashmir revenue and relief department till now.

Kashmiri Pandit organisations, however, put the number of total displaced people anywhere between six to seven lakh now.