January 19, 2025 is 35th Nishkhsan Divas/ Holocaust day of victim Kashmiri Pandits so please come out from slumber, get united and fight for justice and rights”.
Jammu, Jan 17: As January 19, 2025, approaches, the painful memories of our forced exile return with an unrelenting intensity. Thirty-six years have passed since the tragic events of 1990, and yet, the wounds remain fresh, the injustice unresolved. The Kashmiri Pandit community continues to bear the scars of that dark chapter, with unanswered questions that haunt us—Who destroyed us? Who shattered our centuries-old legacy in Kashmir, uprooting us from our homes, temples, and sacred land?
On the fateful night of January 19, 1990, an entire community was hunted down, terrorized, and forced into exile in a premeditated campaign of ethnic cleansing. Radical Islamic elements, separatists, and pan-Islamic forces, supported by semi-separatist political groups and an overwhelming majority of the Kashmiri Muslim population, unleashed a wave of terror. The air was thick with hate-filled slogans calling for our death, abduction, or exile. Mosques, once places of peace, were turned into centers of venomous propaganda. The message was stark: Relive, Tsaliv, ya Galiv (Convert, Leave, or Perish).
This was not a spontaneous outburst but a calculated, systematic effort to eliminate the Kashmiri Pandits, a community that had been the spiritual and cultural soul of the valley for over 5,000 years. We were not targeted for political differences but for our identity, faith, and culture. The mass exodus was further enabled by the silent complicity of the majority, who either supported or passively witnessed their neighbors, friends, and co-citizens being hounded out of their homes.
The truth is undeniable: We were destroyed by radical extremists, driven by an ideology that sought to impose a theocratic state. We were destroyed by separatists who spread hatred and violence, aligned with foreign powers to undermine India’s unity. We were destroyed by political groups who either stayed silent or subtly justified our suffering for their selfish political gains. Most tragically, we were destroyed by the moral failure of the Kashmiri Muslim majority, who, despite political differences, stood united in supporting the forces of terror.
For 36 years, we have lived as refugees in our own country—displaced, isolated, and struggling for survival. Our fight has been for more than mere existence; it has been for dignity, justice, and the right to return to our Kashyap Bhoomi. We seek justice, acknowledgment of our genocide, and accountability for those who engineered our ethnic cleansing. We fight for the sacred right to return to our homeland, where we can live together as a community with security, dignity, and full empowerment. We fight to protect our heritage from being erased by historical distortion.
This struggle is not just ours; it is a national cause. The tragedy of our exodus serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked extremism and the betrayal of national integrity. It is a reminder that no community in India should ever suffer the horrors of ethnic cleansing again. The justice we seek is not only for us but for the soul of India itself.
As Nishkasan Divas (Exodus Day) approaches on January 19, 2025, let us remind the world that our fight is far from over. We demand that the Government of India and the global community recognize our forced exile as genocide. We demand accountability for the masterminds and their collaborators. We also demand the right to return to our Kashyap Bhoomi, a place where we can live in peace and security, without fear or subjugation.
To our fellow Kashmiri Pandits, let us rise above divisions and remain united in our cause. The sacrifices of our ancestors, the suffering of our elders who died in exile, and the trauma of our children must be heard. Our voices must be loud, unwavering, and powerful.
Let the world hear our cries. Let history record the truth. We were victims of one of the worst cases of ethnic cleansing in independent India, and we will not rest until justice is achieved.
On January 19, 2025, observe the day as a day of protest. Wear black badges, switch off your lights for 15-30 minutes, and educate your neighbors, children, and friends about the atrocities we faced before and during our exodus.
In New Delhi, join the protest organized by KSD and other like-minded organizations, such as KPC, at Arya Samaj Hall, Lajpat Nagar, from 1 PM to 4 PM.
In Jammu, attend the community gathering organized by the Unity Prayas Group of ASKPC at Muthi Community Hall, near Swami Kumar Ji Ashram, from 11 AM onwards. In Jagti Township, participate in the program hosted by PK as per their scheduled agenda. Together, we will ensure our voices are heard, our struggle acknowledged, and justice delivered.
