BJP did nothing for Kashmiri Pandits in last 9 years: Ghulam Ahmad Mir

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Senior Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir has accused the BJP government at the Centre of doing "nothing" for the Kashmiri Pandits in the last nine years.

Mir, while speaking to IANS, said that the BJP had not taken any decision in the favour of Kashmiri Pandits. "It was the Congress-led UPA government that has given relief to Kashmiri Pandits."

Mir, the former chief of the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit, resigned from the post of state president in 2022 amidst infighting in the party. He was in the post for seven years -- between 2015 and 2022.

Here are some of the excerpts from the interview:

IANS: Will you (Congress) forge an alliance with non-BJP parties in Jammu and Kashmir?

Mir: As the resolution was brought in the plenary session and as Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has also said, the party will work together with like-minded parties across the country.

We aim to uproot the BJP government, which has wrong policies. The way inflation and unemployment are increasing, and hatred is being spread in the country, they (BJP) have to be driven away.

When the Congress party talks about working with like-minded parties at the national level, it is obvious that it will adopt the same policy in Jammu and Kashmir as well.

There are two camps in the country -- one comprising the BJP and its regional allies, and the other of those regional parties who cannot go with the BJP under any circumstances, like the PDP and the National Conference party in Jammu and Kashmir cannot go with the BJP now, because the BJP, while in power at the Centre, has taken such decisions which are unconstitutional and are against the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

There is no problem in joining hands with those parties which are not satisfied with the policies of the BJP due to some reasons and want to stand with the local people.

IANS: What's your take on the issue of full statehood, Article 370, 35A?

Mir: Reinstating the full statehood status is the main issue in Jammu and Kashmir at present, and almost all parties have the same opinion on the issue.

Many parties have already approached the Supreme Court on the issue of Article 370 and 35A and when the matter is accepted by the Supreme Court, it is up to the court how much more time it will take to hear petitions... We will not discuss it on a political platform (as the matter is sub-judice), only BJP can do this. Everyone has faith in the Supreme Court. However, almost all parties know that as long as the BJP is in power, no decision will come from the court on this issue. When the government will change, we can take up the issue in the Parliament or the state Assembly, and for that, all parties must unite on this issue at the national as well as the regional level.

IANS: Is the Congress satisfied with the delimitation process in the union territory?

Mir: We raised questions on the delimitation process even then, but one heard us. We were sure that political parties would be given complete information about the process and will be taken into confidence but it did not happen.

Many people have approached the Supreme Court over the delimitation and constituency creation as the commission didn't listen to their grievances.

The people of Kashmir want elections at the earliest. Presently, three people are running the government in Jammu and Kashmir and none of them is from the union territory.

No one is there to hear the issues of local people, and it is yet not ascertained whether elections will take place in the union territory or not.

IANS: There are talks about Congress' alliance with National Conference for the Assembly polls; will there be any policy for Kashmiri Pandits if the two parties come together?

Mir: Why not, Kashmiri Pandits are an important part of Kashmir. Whatever relief they have been provided, is because of the efforts of Congress. Kashmiri Pandits were given several reliefs when the Congress party was in power.

As many as 7,000 Kashmiri Pandits were given employment during the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh. A permanent residential complex was built for them. Before which, they were living in a tent.

Nothing has been done for Kashmiri Pandits in the last nine years since the BJP came to power. The relief amount was fixed for Kashmiri Pandits in 2014 during the UPA government. After coming to power, the Modi government has not increased the relief amount, while the inflation increased manifold.

There are many issues of Kashmiri Pandits, if the Congress party government is formed in Jammu and Kashmir, then definitely these issues will be kept in mind and a policy will be made by the party.

Even for the return of Kashmiri Pandits, the Congress party had announced a package during the Manmohan Singh government. It was decided that Rs 25 lakh would be given to each family so that they can buy their own house in Kashmir. However, the BJP government stalled the process after coming to power.

Kashmir is an integral part of the country, and it is the priority of the Congress party to resolve the issues of the people of the state.