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Pallone urges PM to take up Pandits' case

United States lawmaker Rep Frank Pallone, founder and former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Friday asked Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to take up the plight of Kashmiri Pandits during his peace talks with Pakistan's military leader General Pervez Musharraf, expected in late June or early July.

A week after India and Pakistan agreed to bilateral talks in search of a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute, Pallone wrote, in a missive to Vajpayee, that the constant fear of attacks by militants and living condition have stripped the Pandits, a peace-loving people, of the most basic dignity that must be afforded to all human beings.

The New Jersey Democrat said the Kashmiri Pandits, who have been targeted by Islamic militants armed and funded by the enemies of India, "are in their eleventh year of exile after being internally displaced and driven out. This serious tragedy has driven the peaceful Pandit community out of their centuries-old homeland."

"Islamic militants are promoting an agenda of ethnic cleansing," Pallone wrote and alleged that "their goal is to eliminate non-Muslims from Kashmir".

He noted that "during the past several weeks alone, we have witnessed militant attacks by separatist guerrillas against non-Muslims, including the Pandits. Incidents continued throughout the period of the cease-fire, which you so valiantly championed."

Pallone expressed appreciation of "the fact that India and Pakistan have agreed to meet in an effort to resolve differences," and acknowledged, "I know that you have voiced concerns of Kashmiri Pandits in the past."

"However, "Pallone emphasized, "it is crucial that their concerns be an important part of your agenda during the upcoming talks that are likely to include the future of Kashmir."

"I thank you in advance for your prompt and bold action with this problem, and I have full confidence in your leadership in resolving this issue," the lawmaker added.

Pallone requested Vajpayee to address three important issues related to the Kashmiri Pandits in any negotiations with Pakistan: ensuring a safe homeland for Pandits in the regions of the Kashmir Valley to the north and east of the Jhelum river; ensuring the Constitution of India be made fully applicable in letter and spirit to their existence in the valley to ensure their right to life, liberty, freedom of expression and faith, equality and rule and law; and finally ensuring a safe and secure co-ordinated return for the exodus of over 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits forced to leave on account of the violence in the last decade, and allowing an additional 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits, who have left the valley since 1947, to return.

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