‘Reconciliation, Relief and Rehabilitation’, a prominent Pandit rights organization has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to hear the Article 370 petitions.
It is a welcome step taken by the Supreme Court. Sampat Prakash Ji has made our stand clear about the Articles. There is no second thought about it. It is unfortunate that the people of Jammu Kashmir were made to suffer immensely,” said Satish Mahaldar, the chairman of the organization.
Calling for the restoration of Articles 35 A and 370, he expressed hope that the Supreme Court of India will restore the Articles that provided special status to Jammu Kashmir.
“The Indian Constitution ensures the right to equality that extends to individuals, communities, religions, regions, and all social and political institutions, ” he told The Kashmiriyat over the phone.
The BJP Government claimed that the Article 370 abrogation will empower Kashmiri people. They also talked about the safeguarding the interests of backward regions and cultural and religious minorities. “There are more than five Lakh Kashmiri Pandits who are homeless. We really would want to know, who has been empowered,” he asked.
He said that the only thing BJP has done is that it has used Kashmiri Pandits for their petty political interests.
Satish said that he has written more than 2000 letters to Government of India that Kashmiri Pandits want to return to their home (Kashmir), however, he has received no answer from the Government as of yet.
Satish said, “The right to equality ensures non-discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, region, or any other social and political sub-categories. Never before a state has been downgraded.”
“The government of India needs to treat the people of Jammu Kashmir as their own as they claim Kashmir has always been an integral part of India,” he said. ( The Kashmiriyat)