Baramulla: J&K: In a historic step, which is first of its kind, Kashmiri civil society comprising of members from both Kashmiri Muslim and Kashmiri Hindu communities marked “Kashmiri Hindu Forced Exodus Day”, a poignant reminder of the traumatic events that unfolded on 19th January, 1990, when the forced exodus of Kashmiri Hindu community began from Kashmir Valley.
The Kashmiri civil society led by noted Human Rights Activist Javed Ahmad Beigh, who has represented India many times at the Geneva, Switzerland based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), organized a special initiative called “NALMOUT”, a Kashmiri word for “hugging”, a symbolic term used to denote historic and symbiotic relations between Kashmiri Hindu community and Kashmiri Muslim community.
The civilian initiative was first of its kind led totally by the civil society of Kashmir Valley. In prior years, the “Kashmiri Hindu Forced Exodus Day” used to be marked by the displaced Kashmiri Hindu diaspora in Delhi, Jammu and other parts of India, but this time, the somber day was marked for the first time within Kashmir Valley itself and that too mainly by the Kashmiri Muslim community. The said event was organized in Malmoh village, located near Magam town in Baramulla district of North Kashmir Valley.
Javed Ahmad Beigh, convenor of the event said that he along with many other members of the civil society of Beerwah in Budgam district desired to send the message to the Kashmiri Hindu diaspora that “Mouj Kasheer” (Motherland of Kashmir) years for the return of its Kashmiri Hindu children. Some of the prominent attendees of the event included Aga Syed Abbas Rizvi and Ghulam Mohammad Ganai, both from Malmoh village, Ms. Anita Chandpuri, a noted social activist and Kashmiri Hindu resident of Srinagar and Nissar Hussain Bhat, also a noted social activist from Sonapah in Beerwah. These were joined by dozens of other members of Kashmiri civil society from Malmoh village and other parts of Budgam district. Ms. Anita Chandpuri thanked the local Kashmiri Muslim community of Malmoh village for initiating such a move and hoped for the early and safe return of Kashmiri Hindus to Kashmir Valley.
The gathering of Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Hindus visited the local Bhairav Mandir located in the Malmoh village and cleaned it together. Later, members of the Hindu community performed a puja inside the temple, wherein they were joined by the Kashmiri Muslim community. According to Javed Ahmad Beigh, the idea was to demonstrate commitment to preserve the cultural heritage of the Kashmiri Hindu community. Javed Ahmad Beigh also urged the central government to facilitate early, dignified and honorable return of Kashmiri Hindu community and called upon Kashmiri Muslim community to come forward to make things conducive for the safe return of Kashmiri Hindus. He insisted that the major responsibility for the return of Kashmiri Hindus lies in the Kashmiri Muslim community.
Afterwards, the gathered group of Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Hindus visited ruins of abandoned Kashmiri Hindu houses and later interacted with the media.
