NEWS ANALYSIS: Plight of Pandits
By Kartik Lokhande The latest round of protests by Kashmiri Pandits in New Delhi is understandable. For, this community has been nursing deep wounds on its psyche since their exodus from their homeland -- Kashmir -- when Pakistan-backed terrorism and secessionist forces were both at their peaks in the Valley. If any pogrom or ethnic cleansing or genocide that failed to attract serious International attention, it is of Kashmiri Pandits from their homeland. They were literally driven out of their homeland, and forced to flee to Jammu or Delhi or other parts of India. Pakistan-backed militants raped women, killed men and women alike, destroyed or usurped their houses and businesses. Those who lingered back with a hope that situation would change soon, were literally asked to leave or die through pro-secessionist newspapers and through pamphlets and loudspeaker announcements. Still, when some stayed back and the Central Government of that time decided to take some noti...