Marking 27 years of their exile from the Valley, Kashmiri Pandits celebrated Navreh, the lunar new year of Hindus, in Jammu and Kashmir.
They aspired to celebrate the new year in the gardens of Kashmir again with a hope that the state government will take steps ensure their rehabilitation.
Several Kashmiri Pandit organisation - All Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), Zeashta Devi Prabandak Committee (ZDPC), Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) and Pamposh service organised traditional Navreh celebrations yesterday in which a large number of KPs (Kashmiri Pandits) including women and children took part.
"We want to celebrate this new year (Navreh) in the gardens of Kashmir in peaceful environment as we used to in thepast. We pray to God to fulfill our desire," ASKPC General Secretary Dr T K Bhat said.
"Government of India must realize that return of Pandits to Kashmir shall only be possible if they are settled and rehabilitated at one place in Kashmir where there shall be free flow of Indian constitution," he said.
State Minister for Rural Development, and Law and Justice Abdul Haq said that misinformation is being created by some news channels which is creating mistrust between the communities in Kashmir.
He was at a function organised by Kashmir Pandit Sabha to celebrate Navreh.
He said that instead of bridging the gaps which is the need of the hour, some news channels are creating wedge between the communities by making their studios as war rooms.
Calling for a dialogue between the communities at every level, Haq said nobody is against the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)