19 January 1990 is a date which lots of Indians would like to erase from the History of India, forever. 26 years back, mosques in Kashmir issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs; Kashmiri Pandits were left with only 3 options — to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or to be killed. According to reports published by some papers/books, approximately 100,000 of the total Kashmiri Pandit left the valley during the 1990s. We might have cruised 26 years ahead of that gloomy night, but in reality, agony, pain and tears of tens of thousands of forcibly thrown Kashmiri Pandits is still echoing in the valley.
Governments after governments and political parties after political parties have used this as a tool to establish them in Kashmir, however, barely any concrete step is taken to provide justice to those who had to leave their homeland. It is unfortunate for the nation that while a mild case of minority suppression creates frequent uproar and pandemonium in assemblies, rallies, op-eds, etc., the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits is sidelined to election dates. It is disastrous for the nation that while Governments in Maharashtra is decided by their willingness to employ people from Bihar and UP, the natives of Kashmir have to live like migrants and refugees.
Temples were destroyed, people were killed, houses were burnt to ruins and millions became homeless. The horror of Kashmir will keep haunting us for decades. Social media remembered 19 Jan 1990. Here are some of the noteworthy tweets:
#KPExodusDay some Hindu temples in Kashmir destroyed by militants (via A Long Dream of Home book by Siddarth Gigoo) pic.twitter.com/ZM8iLqDgup
— Srivatsan V (@Sr1vatsanV) January 18, 2016
#KPExodusDay Another temple in Kashmir destroyed in 1990s by militants (via A Long Dream of Home by Siddartg Gigoo) pic.twitter.com/HVlyC6Vo6d
— Srivatsan V (@Sr1vatsanV) January 18, 2016
This is the temple I visited everyday before our exodus . Its been 27 years now . Asking me why ? #KPExodusDay pic.twitter.com/z12qCJHpSK
— Kolahoi (@PawanDurani) January 18, 2016
#KPExodusDay some Hindu temples in Kashmir destroyed by militants (via A Long Dream of Home book by Siddarth Gigoo) pic.twitter.com/ZM8iLqDgup
— Srivatsan V (@Sr1vatsanV) January 18, 2016
On 25th Jan 1998,23 Kashmiri Hindus were massacred in #WandhamaMassacre #KPExodusDay pic.twitter.com/pB0ty8z0N2
— Rashneek Kher (@Rashneek) January 19, 2016
This is how most of us lived in 1990’s,in torn tents,on hot sand,without water and toilets. #KPExodusDay pic.twitter.com/w5ReXjDxOy
— Rashneek Kher (@Rashneek) January 18, 2016
This is what they did to our places of worship, our temples. And everyone is silent even after 26yrs. #KPExodusDay pic.twitter.com/ibe3zefkXO
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 19, 2016
#KPExodusDay is an annual reminder of how no matter how times change, Hindus can never come to each other’s help & assisstance
— IndiaSpeaks (@IndiaSpeaksPR) January 19, 2016
We remember our FORCED exodus . Tomorrow we enter 27 years in EXILE #KPExodusDay pic.twitter.com/p8WslRO4dH
— Kolahoi (@PawanDurani) January 18, 2016
