PAGD reaches out to Pandits for expanding support base
06-November-2020

Giving a push to the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) movement under the National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, its leaders have reached out to an organisation relating to migrant Kashmiri Pandits to join it.

The move is seen as a move to expand the support base for the movement and give synergetic image to it, especially outside Kashmir.

Chief of the Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitation of the Migrants Satish Mahaldar on Thursday said, �I have accepted the invitation from the PAGD�s alliance members.� Political engagement required dialogue across the nation, including J&K, he added.

�As a mark of protest against the government�s apathy towards the rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits and other migrants in the Valley, we are forced to look for other political solutions too,� Mahaldar said.

Under the new land laws, the J&K Government is transferring 3,000 acres of land to the Industries and Commerce Department to invite outside investors. But it is not providing even 300 acres of land towards the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit refugees who have been living in exile for the last 31 years.

�We believe the return and rehabilitation of the Pandits has a greater priority and must be addressed first before the new land laws come into force,� he said.

�Kashmiri Pandits and other migrants are the victims of �democide� which led to genocide,� Mahaldar said.

The organisation�s demands include provision in J&K budget for rehabilitation of migrant Pandits and assigning three constituencies in the Valley exclusively for Pandit nominees.