Srinagar: Police clashed with hundreds of displaced Kashmiri Pandits on Wednesday (May 6) as they attempted to march to the relief commissioner's office in Jammu, protesting their inclusion in the National Food Security Act (NFSA) database.
Under the banner of the 'United Alliance of Displaced Kashmiri Pandits', protesters gathered outside the office on Canal Road, labelling the move a "black law" designed to undermine their demands for a return to Kashmir. Visuals showed demonstrators with placards raising slogans, met with baton charges to halt their advance.
Sunil Kumar, a displaced Kashmiri Pandit, said: "NFSA is for migrant labourers. We are an internally displaced community. This is a mutual conspiracy of the Union government and the J&K administration to dilute our status."
Another displaced Kashmiri Pandit, Arvind Kaul, added: "The Centre has taken us for granted. We are not against NFSA—we're ready for it—but the government should return us to Kashmir and our homes first."
Agnishekhar, founder of Panun Kashmir, called it "an anti-community decision" that the government must roll back. Protesters accused authorities of dictatorship, lack of consultation, and failing to honour promises of rehabilitation after four decades of displacement.
The J&K administration began integrating migrant ration cards into NFSA in early 2026, with over 17,500 already processed. Official data lists 47,466 migrant families, mostly in Jammu camps like Jagti, Muthi, Nagrota, and Purkhoo; others live in Delhi and elsewhere.
Migrants currently receive Rs 3,250 monthly cash, 9 kg rice, and 2 kg flour under a Union-funded relief package. NFSA integration aims to enable access to pensions (old age, widow, disability), marriage assistance, health insurance, and more. A government spokesperson noted last month that 450 families have benefited.
A April 25 meeting chaired by principal secretary Chandrakar Bharti confirmed integration per 2024-2025 rules, preserving existing entitlements. From April 18, rations are available at 32 Jammu depots, with options for the nearest location across Jammu division.
Protesters demanded homes in Kashmir before further changes, insisting: "We are a people without an address. We have suffered enough harassment."