Jammu

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said Kashmiri Pandits are always welcome to return to their homes in the Valley, as the displaced community observed the 36th anniversary of their exodus in Jammu and reiterated demands for a comprehensive policy on their return and rehabilitation.

However, the former chief minister expressed scepticism about whether the migrated community would want to come back in a permanent manner, considering they have built new lives where they currently reside in other parts of the country, with their children engaged in employment and education.

In a related development, J-K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the National Conference leadership has always supported the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley as Kashmir is incomplete without the community.

Kashmiri Pandits observe January 19 as 'holocaust day' to mark the exodus of their community members from the Valley in 1990 due to threats and killings by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

Members of the community also staged protests at various locations in support of their demands, including a separate homeland within the Valley.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day party programme here, Abdullah noted that many Kashmiri Pandit families never left the Valley and continue to live peacefully in their villages and localities.

"When will they return (to Kashmir)? Who is stopping them? No one is preventing them. They should come back, as it is their home. Many Kashmiri Pandits are currently living in the Valley and have not left their villages," the former chief minister responded when asked about protests by Kashmiri Pandits supporting their demand for return and rehabilitation in the Valley.

Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits, under the banner of 'Youth 4 Panun Kashmir,' also blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Jagti camp on Sunday evening, demanding a separate homeland in the Valley for their return and asking for the passage of a bill in Parliament to recognise their genocide.

When asked about the demands of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits, Abdullah remarked that he had assured them that the government would construct houses for them and provide the necessary support.

He added that after the fall of his government, it was in the Central government's hands to implement the proposal.

He noted that the community would first need to assess the situation, as many Kashmiri Pandits are now settled across different parts of the country.

"They have grown older; many are seeking medical treatment, and their children are studying in colleges, schools, and universities. They may visit, but I don't think they will return to live there permanently," he said.

Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary said NC president and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have always supported the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.

"Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits. Their return will restore the brotherhood and hospitality," he said, expressing hope that the Centre would make a decision soon on their return and rehabilitation.

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General Secretary of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), P K Raina, mentioned that the community has been waiting for justice for the last 36 years.

"We have assembled here to reiterate our demand for a policy that will pave the way for our dignified return and rehabilitation in our homeland. We also paid tributes to all those community members who lost their lives in terrorist attacks,” Raina said, leading one of the protests here.