New Delhi: In his first major public intervention after taking over as the RSS joint general secretary, Dattatreya Hosabale on Wednesday made a strong pitch for the return of Kashmiri Hindus to their homeland, while strongly supporting the Modi government against the " campaign" to discredit it.
“There are vested interests, who have launched a campaign against the government. Plenty of development is happening for which the government is making concerted efforts. People of the country should unite and make the world aware about the positive works being executed in Jammu and Kashmir", he said.
Hosabale, the newly apppointed number 2 in the RSS , said while the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A marked a historic turn in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, the priority now should be to ensure the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus who were forced to flee their home because of terrorist violence.
“Let’s take a pledge that the Hindu community of Kashmir, who were displaced decades ago, return to their homeland and are rehabilitated with dignity,” Hosabale said while addressing the closing ceremony of the three-day Navreh (new year) festival organised by the RSS-inspired Sanjivani Sharda Kendra.
He said he was of the firm view Kashmiri people, who had to migrate from their homeland in 1989-90 due to violence inflicted on them by the terrorist organisations, are rehabilitated and they celebrate the next new year at their native places.
“This was the seventh displacement of the Kashmiri Hindus in 1989-90, which happened when the country was free and there was a democracy. However, the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A is a new beginning and Hindu community of Kashmir are placed at a historic turn as the land of Jammu and Kashmir is now full fledged Indian territory where country’s law is effective and atmosphere is also conducive for rehabilitation of the Hindu community, who are living as refugees in their own country,” the RSS functionary said.
Hosabale also said that the Central government is doing immense work for reconstruction of Jammu Kashmir but there are vested interests, who are spreading distorted facts, which must be countered globally.
The RSS functionary said that the struggles of the Kashmiri Hindus, who refused to surrender to religious fanatics, are an inspiration for the whole country. “I bow my head to all the Kashmiri Hindus, who have suffered immensely for decades as they had to leave their homeland and live a miserable life,” he added.
Citing examples of Hindu icons like Rana Pratap, Shivaji, the RSS functionary said that the firmness and willpower of these great Indians is still an inspiration, which will help in rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Hindus. He also recalled how the Sikh Gurus, Tegh Bahadur and Govind Singh had responded to help the Kashmiri Hindus, when they were pressured by the Mughals for religious conversion.
He said said that the Jews and Tibetans’ pledge to return to their homelands are inspirations as while Jews returned to Israel in 1948 after remaining away for several years, the Tibetans are still fighting with China and it is expected that they will also succeed one day.
The three-day celebrations started with Vijay Divas (“Shaurya Divas”) to commemorate the victory of King Lalitaditya over Arabs in 8th century and “Tyag and Samarpan Day” to recall virtues of Shriya Bhat, the 15th century Kashmiri Pandit who made great contribution in saving the Hindu culture in Kashmir.