NEW DELHI: Congress MP Vivek Tankha on Monday demanded a commission of inquiry into the “genocide” of Kashmir Pandits during the peak of militancy in the Valley and said it drove 4-5 lakh members of their community and other minorities out of Kashmir over a period of time.
Stating that no investigation was launched or a commission of inquiry set up to probe the genocideand that nothing had come of their multiple petitions filed in the SC, he demanded that the commission of enquiry be instituted as “this was the bane of all Kashmiris”.
Tankha demanded that the benefit of nomination to the J&K assembly being given to Kashmiri migrants also be extended to Kashmiri Pandits who had stayed on in the Valley in the face of threats. “Those who stayed on and endured everything should also qualify,” he said.
“We are the only community who were displaced in their own country,” he rued.
Tankha’s appeal for a commission of inquiry into the genocide of Kashmir Pandits found favour with home minister Amit Shah, who not only welcomed such a demand from a Congress MP but also requested the Chair to allow him to speak for an extra five minutes beyond his allotted time.
Stating that no investigation was launched or a commission of inquiry set up to probe the genocideand that nothing had come of their multiple petitions filed in the SC, he demanded that the commission of enquiry be instituted as “this was the bane of all Kashmiris”.
Tankha demanded that the benefit of nomination to the J&K assembly being given to Kashmiri migrants also be extended to Kashmiri Pandits who had stayed on in the Valley in the face of threats. “Those who stayed on and endured everything should also qualify,” he said.
“We are the only community who were displaced in their own country,” he rued.
Tankha’s appeal for a commission of inquiry into the genocide of Kashmir Pandits found favour with home minister Amit Shah, who not only welcomed such a demand from a Congress MP but also requested the Chair to allow him to speak for an extra five minutes beyond his allotted time.