Khajuria S Kant in Jammu
TIKA Lal Taploo, a Kashmiri Pandit, was killed by secessionist elements on September 14, 1989 in Kashmir. The day was a watershed moment in the history of the State as the incident triggered exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit community from the Valley.
Since then, Kashmiri Pandits observe September 14th as “Martyrs Day” or Black Day every year after their exodus from the land of their origin by remembering Pt Tika Lal Taploo, who was the first Kashmiri Pandit assassinated by the Pak sponsored militants in the Valley, this day 23 years ago.
On this day 23 years ago, a veteran Kashmiri Pandit leader and vice president of J&K BJP, Tika Lal Taploo, was killed in broad day light by separatists outside his residence in Srinagar, four months before the community members were forced to leave the Valley in the height of militancy.
Remembering that awful day, Sarla Taploo said, “Different groups of militants used to give life threats to him but he did not bother because he was brave man.” “Two days before his assignation he gave a daring speech at Haba Kadal and suddenly after that we received a threat from militants to leave the Valley within 15 days”, Sarala Taploo said. “On that very day one agent called him out and said that he had to go to the court for an important case. That was a conspiracy for his assignation.”
To mark the day, various Kashmiri Pandit outfits held demonstrations across the Jammu region in which they demanded justice for the community which they said was a victim of hate crime.
Addressing the demonstrators JKVM leaders said that Kashmiri Hindus have only been given false assurances and empty promises from the Government since their exile. Though different Governments have talked of honourable return of Kashmiri Hindus but they have proved only bare words.
They said if Government was sincere towards Pandits it should have directly talked to those who were protesting on roads. They also accused the Government of burying the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines Bill.
On the occasion of Balidan Divas the Joint Forum of Kashmiri Pandit Organisations organised a protest demonstration outside the Raj Bhawan, here.
The participants raised slogans against the apathy of the Government towards the displaced community for the last more than two decades. The protesters expressed their full support to the people sitting on dharna in Jagti Township and also at the Relief Commissioner’s office. The demand for enhancement of relief has already been accepted by the Cabinet and there is no reason why such a delay is manipulated by the Government. The displaced people are the primary victims of terrorism in Kashmir and it is the duty of Government to arrange for their relief and rehabilitation. It is ironic that right to life and right to health are being denied to the people in the Jagti Township when their water and electricity supplies are heavily curtailed.
The community members living in NCR gathered at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, Delhi, along the sacred ‘Jyots’ brought in procession from different pockets where the community members are living in exile. Prayers were offered at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi who had seen a ray of hope in Kashmir in 1947. It is total darkness out there in Kashmir at present. Dark clouds of fanaticism, intolerance, violence and religious fundamentalism has engulfed the State and Governments are silent spectators. In many cases Government institutions are playing dirty role of facilitation radicalisation of Kashmiri society.
All the Kashmiri Pandit Organisations of Delhi NCR region which include Jammu Kashmir Vichar Manch (JKVM), All India Kashmiri Samaj, Kashmiri Sewak Samaj Faridabad, Koshur Samuth Ghaziabad, Tikalal Taploo Foundation, Kashmiri Migrant Welfare Association Noida, Kashyap Kashmir Sabha Gurgaon, Koshur Milchar Welfare Association Indirapuram, KP Sabha Bahadurgarh actively participated.
