Facing sharp criticism and pressure for giving his nod to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for creation of “composite townships” for migrant Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Thursday explained in the Assembly that his government was not planning to create any exclusive zone for the Pandits.
“The government has not acquired any land for setting up any exclusive enclaves,” Mr. Sayeed said. “We do not favour any clusterisation for return of Kashmiri Pandits, but their complete reintegration as part of the Kashmiri society.” The PDP earlier confirmed to The Hindu that the PDP-BJP government was planning to create “composite townships” for the return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits. These townships, the party said, would also be free for other people besides the migrant Pandits.
“The “composite townships” will not be an exclusive area for the Kashmiri Pandits and will be open for all the other communities,” PDP's chief spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Nayeem Akhtar told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Mr. Sayeed during his meeting with Mr. Rajnath Singh on Tuesday assured the latter that his government would “acquire and provide land at the earliest for composite townships in the Valley.” Mr. Singh on Thursday said the BJP government would not go back on its agreed plans of settlements for Kashmiri Pandits.
BJP’s State general secretary Ashok Kaul said the party would work towards its plan of a separate homeland for the Kashmiri Pandits irrespective of Mr. Sayeed's statement.
Meanwhile, the Valley's separatist leadership has called for a complete shutdown on Saturday against the plan for creation of separate zones for Pandits.
