“Born with a white feather in my cap, I was a princess in blossom. My abode was a heaven for me and for others. World referred to my snowfield homeland as Kashmir. Kashmir, the pious land of ancient Hindus. The land of Kashyapa, the land of Vedas, the land of saints. But, the blot is disturbing; we were ethnically wiped out when I was at the tender age of 3. Our community is referred to as Kashmiri Pundits(battas).”– Mithila Mattoo.
Mithila was 3 when her teacher asked her to go on the last seat just 2 days after starting her schooling, the reason was disgusting, teacher knew that she is a guest to her motherland and will be persuaded to leave to an undecided destination. Whole Kashmir was burning with Anti-India slogans, Pro-Indian men were asked to flee under the shed of bullets and leave their female partners at the congregational place of Pro-Pakistanis. Slogans were reverberating and the monotheist neighbors smiled. They knew the religion of bullets; they were their own people, creating space for their own by killing, raping and torturing the polytheist.
We left in a shikara like thieves, with no belongings. My parents say I was singing – mere desh ko rakhna mere bachhon sambhal ke…while leaving – recalls Mithila. I was left in shock and didn’t speak for next two years. Even now I cry in almost every speech of mine, the wounds are afresh even after 26 long years – she continues. This is how the hatred and vengeance of extremists have scarred their childhoods and lives as well.
Mithila is the area coordinator of Panun Kashmir, an organization of displaced Kashmiri pundits. Panun Kashmir describes Kashmiri pundits as refugees in their own country due to total failure of the Indian state to provide security and safety to them when they were ruthlessly persecuted, tortured and murdered. Panun Kashmir has been demanding a separate homeland with the status of Union territory in the valley.
Mithila Mattoo in one of the protestsDespite all the pain and anguish in your hearts there is not a single incidence of violence by Kashmiri pundits till date. You explicitly set an exemplar to the bunch of scrupulous people who vent out their personal frustrations through inhuman killings in the name of lynch mob as well as to the terrorists who chose to kill, torture, rape, behead non-combatants in the name of religion – Me. Mithila replies- That is the difference, we chose to join army, police to counter terrorists. Violence would not have been morally correct.
When enquired about the role of government in all this she says – There was no government then in 1990 when it eventuated. As of now, government has done nothing more than few packages here and there, not considering the fact that it needs more than just houses to restore Kashmiri pundits back into the valley.
Kashmiri pundits are a nonviolent community, the only Hindu community in India which was not divided on the basis of caste. They lived great life in mutual solidarity with Muslims until their genocide was solicited. They have been fighting for something which is the right, constitution bestows to each and every Indian. Then why not them? Since they don’t have the numbers, why can’t we add the numbers?
The time has come that all the Indians must know that there is a sect living in exile despite being the part of religious majority of country. The negligible effort by centre and state has already continued for 69 years. Everyone has the right to live in their own homeland. Let us restore the faith of Kashmiri Hindus.
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