Will the KPs
return
Dr. Bashir A.
Dabla
After mass
migration of the Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) from Kashmir
between 1991-93, the sole question of basic importance remained. Will they
return back? In the following period,
the question turned into when they will return back? Now, in the context of different
developments, the question turned to how they will return? In last few years, this question changed to
why they will come back? Though at the
initial stage this question was simple, but 23 years after migration, this
question became very complex and resist any solution. This crucial question haunts every Kashmiri
inside and outside Kashmir. It has generally been observed that while
near total Kashmiri Muslims (KMs) want all KPs back in the valley and live
normal life. On the other hand, dominant
majority of KPs wish to be in the valley with proper care and security.
In this
situational background, a music-based programme was broadcast by Radio Kashmir,
Srinagar at
9.30 am on Sundays during April-June 2013. This programme was based on detailed
telephone calls of KPs living in different cities of India. They responded to the KM broadcaster’s
questions and frankly expressed their views about Kashmir,
Kashmiryat, life conditions, problems and return migration.
Broadly
speaking, this radio programme conveyed ideas and sentiments of KPs and KMs
about each other and their composite life and society. Some of these prominent ideas included the
following:
The KMs maintained that
[a] there really exists composite culture and
tolerance of plurality of religions in Kashmir;
[b] Despite mass migration, the ideal cultural
whole and cultural traits still exist with social legitimacy;
[c] Mass migration has not negated and
devastated the ideal type of social and cultural relationship between two
religious communities;
[d] Despite educational and economic losses due
to migration , there has not emerged wider and deeper social antagonism between
these separated communities.
On the other hand, the KPs maintained that
[a] despite grave implications of mass
migration, the conscious identity about Kashmir
and Kashmiriat has not died down;
[b] though they live in an alien
social-cultural environment, they have not accepted the superiority of other
cultures and show affinity and concern for their Kashmiri roots;
[c] the grave and cruel conditions of migrant
life outside Kashmir, they have not betrayed
their roots and confirm their commitment to their cultural traditions; and
[d] while conveying the problems of migrants’
life, they also express the hurdles and obstacles in the way of returning back
to Kashmir.
The radio
conversation revealed certain realities related to KPs migration and their
intention to return and their constant association with Kashmir
and Kashmiriat and numerous problems of migrant life. Some of these prominent views are as follows:
• KPs have no comfortable life in the
physical, psychological and social sense.
Their attachment to their origins and roots have not been forgotten,
rather intensifies continuously. They
consider themselves first inhabitants of Kashmir
and seem upholding its social and cultural ethos. Non-Kashmiri cultures and communities seems
secondary to them. “Others” remain
‘outsiders’ and “panun” remain ‘punun’ even in present times.
• Though both communities suffered in all
fields, the bonds between the communities did not die down. These positive bonds survived even in hardest
times.
• KPs can never lose Kashmir
and its culture and its practices can never be ignored. Its glaring traditions such as plurality,
tolerance, interaction and reciprocal relationship can never be sidelined.
• Suitable and heavenly climatic conditions
of Kashmir still lure KPs and they romanticize
their old days in that heavenly environment and social-cultural ethos based on
brotherly relations.
• All these sentiments were more expressed by
the elder generation of KPs rather than to their youngsters and children. The latter have least degree of feeling and
association with Kashmir. They know Kashmir
as Bollywood has portrayed it in Hindi movies.
• While the KP elders are still committed to
their cultural and social roots, their children cannot be characterized in same
terms. The Kashmiri language has become
‘grave casualty’ at their hands. Since
they were born, reared, socialized and educated in alien environment, they
hardly know Kashmir and its cultural
heritage. The functional compulsions
outside Kashmir didn’t allow them to continue
with their cultural tradition.
• Since all KP children/youngsters have got
education and higher jobs in all cities of India and the world, they
constructed their houses and established homes at those places. It seems difficult even to think to return to
Kashmir in those living conditions. Moreover, they have no point of attraction
for thinking in terms of returning to Kashmir.
• KPs visualize the situation which may
emerge if they return to Kashmir en mass. The separate colonies for migrants in future
will not solve their problems but will increase and intensify. IT will create the ‘ghetto’ community in Kashmir.
• Last, KPs are conscious of that fact that a
new generation of young people has taken over Kashmir
in all fields. In order to live the
normal, peaceful and pluralistic life, this generation has to be approached
properly and proper rapport developed.
The above
analysis of the radio conversation in 9 programmes does not answer the question
[ mentioned at the start of this paper] reasonably, realistically and in
totality. It follows that some of basic
importance are missing. The crude social
reality stands in the argument that the mass migration of KPs took place in
1991-93. While it was easy to shift from
Kashmir to outside cities and towns in the country and the world, it seems very
difficult, near to impossible, to return
back in the same number. It is because
of some developments within and outside the community during last two
decades.
As mentioned in
the previous section, the KP children were born, reared, socialized and
educated in pure non-Kashmiri cultural environment. After getting higher education and getting
higher positions in public and private service sector inside and outside India, they
have constructed houses and intend to live at those places for longer
time. They are settled there and would
never like to be disturbed. These
aspects of the KPs’ life were not highlighted sufficiently in the radio
programmes.
The views and
opinions expressed by KP telephone callers were primarily and essentially of
those who belong to the rural areas, elders, married-literate-middle income
groups. These age groups only are rooted in Kashmir
and Kashmiriat and they have emotional-cultural attachment to their motherland
and they only feel cut off from roots.
Only they will be able to develop rapport with the new generation in Kashmir. In this
context, the question of KPs back migration seems misdirected. It needs to be formulated and directed
properly.
The author is
Head Department of Sociology, University of Kashmir
Source: http://www.risingkashmir.in/news/will-the-kps-return-50217.aspx
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