Not all Kashmiri Hindus eligible for benefits meant to Pandits: HC

Jammu and Kashmir: Every one belonging to the Hindu community in Kashmir Valley is not a Kashmiri Pandit, observed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court dismissing a plea that sought people who belonged to some Hindu groups and Sikh community should be included in the job schemes specially designed for the Pandits.

The petitioner wanted members of these groups to be included in the Prime Minister's job package for Kashmiri Pandits, arguing that these communities had also suffered much and deserved the benefits extended to the Kashmiri Pandits.

Justice Sanjeev Kumar's judgement reads "Kashmiri pundit is a separately identifiable community distinct from other Hindus residing in the Valley like Rajputs, Brahmins other than Kashmiri Pandits, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and many others."

Hence, the demand that the Hindu groups other than Kashmiri Pandits be included in the schemes meant for the latter is preposterous which could not be accepted, the judgement said. Justice Kumar said that the Kashmiri Pandits are distinct from others by their language, custom, dress and tradition, and who are also inhabitants of the Valley for generations.

It is not possible in any way to treat non- Kashmiri Brahmins who are mostly Kshatriyas, Rajputs, and Scheduled Cast as Kashmiri Pandits and make them eligible for the Prime Minister's revised package benefits which are meant for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, the justice said.

In 2009, the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, had rolled out a Prime Minister's "package" aimed at facilitating the return and rehabilitation in Kashmir Valley of Kashmiri migrants. The Deputy Commissioners, however, refused to issue such certificates to non-Kashmiri Pandit Hindus.