KPC rejects Mehbooba Mufti’s “Unilateral” proposal on Pandits return, demands justice-centered approach

jj correspondent
Jammu, May 03: The Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC), a prominent representative body of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community, has firmly rejected a proposal made by former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti regarding the return and rehabilitation of the exiled community. In a strongly worded statement, KPC described Mufti’s May 26 letter as “unilateral, insensitive, and detached from the lived reality of the Pandit exodus.”
KPC president Mr Kundan Kashmiri asserted that any initiative concerning the future of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits must arise from meaningful and respectful engagement with the community’s own leadership. “Ms. Mufti, who showed little concern for our suffering during her years in power, lacks the moral and political authority to speak on our behalf,” he stated. “Our pain and our future cannot be the subject of political tokenism or symbolic gestures.”
Emphasizing that the issue of return is far more complex than the mere allocation of land or housing, the KPC reiterated its long-standing demand for a justice-driven and dignified process. “Return is not about shelter alone-it is about reclaiming dignity, ensuring justice, and safeguarding survival,” Kashmiri said. “There can be no forward movement without first acknowledging the ethnic cleansing, targeted killings, and trauma endured by our community over the past three and a half decades.”
The organization called for credible investigations into the violence that forced the community into exile, along with the restoration of desecrated temples, looted properties, and destroyed institutions. “Only after truth and accountability can discussions on return hold any meaning,” the statement read.
Rejecting piecemeal proposals, KPC reaffirmed its demand for a single, secure, and well-protected resettlement zone within the Kashmir Valley, equipped with constitutional and legal safeguards. “Scattered plots in various districts are an insult to our collective trauma and history. We seek safety, identity, and solidarity-not dispersal,” the KPC said.
The organization appealed to the Union Government to disregard unilateral political overtures and instead engage directly with recognized institutions of the displaced community. “Our future cannot be shaped behind closed doors or through those who once remained silent,” KPC emphasized. “This is not merely a political issue-it is a question of justice, human dignity, and the right to return with honor.”
KPC concluded its statement by warning against reducing the plight of Kashmiri Pandits to political rhetoric. “We have waited too long and suffered too much to be treated as pawns in political narratives. Our return must be on our terms, with justice and safety at the core.”