National Conference on Friday criticized the J&K administration and government of India for ignoring genuine demands of non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits who are on an indefinite hunger strike at Ganpatyar temple here for the past six days.
A statement said following instructions from National Conference President, Farooq Abdullah the party’s provincial President, Nasir Aslam Wani today visited the community members led by Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samitee (KPSS) President, Sanjay Tickoo, at the temple, and expressed solidarity with them.
Wani said it was appalling to see the government not taking cognizance of the hunger strike. “So far no one from the administration has visited them. It is the sixth day of their strike, and the very wellbeing of the protestors is in jeopardy,” he said.
He expressed dismay that no government official has visited the protestors and that no medical team was either sent to check their wellbeing.
Wani assured the protestors that National Conference will take up their issues at all forums and strive to ensure that their demands were met.
He impressed upon the administration to ensure reservation of 500 posts for non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits, while stating that 2,000 posts announced under Prime Minister package were yet to be filled.
The protesting non-migrant pandits informed Wani that the 137th parliamentary committee has also revealed the dwindling financial condition of the non-migrants, making the community eligible for the assistance from the government.
The protestors asserted that in wake of the cold response, and dwindling job prospects, the community would also be pushed to leave for other places.
He said a large number of Kashmiri Pandits stayed back and did not move to Jammu and other parts of the country in wake of the disturbances in early 1990’s.
“Unfortunately the employment and financial package for the Pandit community, which was announced in 2009 does not include non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.
The community, Nasir said, has been making countless representations but till now their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.