ALL INDIA KASHMIRI SAMAJ (REGD.)
(APEX BODY OF INDIAN & OVERSEAS KASHMIRI PANDIT ORGANISATIONS)
House No. 308, (LGF), Ashoka Enclave Part-III, Sector 35
Faridabad Haryana 121003, Telephone: 0129-4061043
Web: www.aiks.org; E-mail: hqaiks@gmail.com
Date – January 21,2023
AIKS AMBALA DECLARATION -2023
Kashmiri Pandits have been silent sufferers for all these 33 and counting years of their exile
period whose travails and tribulations were wilfully ignored by all parties across the political
spectrum of the country. This official and political apathy has led to their near completion of
the ethnic cleansing process, thus purging the valley of perhaps the last remnants of its original
inhabitants.
All India Kashmiri Samaj, (AIKS) would like to assert that it represents the mainstream voice
of KP’s. It is the apex body to which all the major Kashmiri Pandit Associations across India
and abroad are affiliated, thus enjoying a clear mandate to represent their point of view before
the powers that be. In the absence of any elected representatives from displaced and
dispossessed community, AIKS is the most representative body of the KP’s.
The Ambala Declaration-2023 has been prepared by AIKS after going through the due process
of consultations and confabulations within the community to reach a consensus on major issues
pertaining to the hapless community and has accommodated all the shades of theopinion within
its ambit. Declaring that it will use all its might and resources to regain the civilizational
presence in Kashmir; AIKS, therefore, has emerged as the sole responsible, representative body
that ventilates the mainstream voice of the community and demands:
Annexure –I A Legitimate Minority Space for KPs in Kashmir
Annexure – II Healing Touch Policy
Annexure –I:
By Minority Space we mean that as aborigines Kashmiri Pandits constitute a factorial
importance in the socio-cultural construct of Kashmir with an uninterrupted continuity with
its rich heritage and more than 5000 years of civilizational past. It is not only an attempt to fill
the void but also to contest the domination of a particular faith in the socio/ political lifeof
the State. Its main features therefore include:
Recognition of KP’s as a Minority: There is a big dichotomy in Kashmir– Muslim majority is
being linked with the mainstream Muslim minority of India thereby enjoying the fruits of both
as minority and as majority. The abject KP minority is being linked with the mainstreamHindu
majority of the Country thereby depriving them of their legitimate space in Kashmir. Under
normal circumstances Kashmiri Pandits would never ask for a minority status, reservation or
political crumbs as the community has always believed in moving forward on the basis of merit
and individual excellence, which is almost a passionwith them. Yet today there is an
emergency, the threat of extinction is looming large over the beleaguered community and the
nation has to come to its rescue todeclare the tyrannized KP’s as a minority in order to
reconstruct its social life with dignified identity.
And as Minorities are entitled a share in Centre’s 15- Point Programme in which funds are
earmarked for their welfare and scholarships, it may be pertinentto mention here that
Supreme Court has in number of cases stressed for a legislative intervention making it
mandatory for states to undertake minority enumeration.
Constitution of Minority Commission: Every democratic set up has a constitutional obligation
to have in place a protection mechanism forsafeguarding the interests of religious and ethnic
minorities against the predatingmachinations of brute religious or ethnic majority. From this
august forum We urge the government to set up a Minority Commission which we can approach
inthe event we feel our freedoms and liberties guaranteed by the constitution are trampled upon
or violated by the forces inimical to our existence.
In February 2014, while tabling an Action Taken Report on ‘Rehabilitation of Jammu and
Kashmir Migrants’ in Rajya Sabha, the 31-member Committee comprising MPs from Rajya
Sabha and Lok Sabha, had been critical of the Ministry of Home Affairs for not deliberating
on the demands of minority status of the Pandits, and matterslike providing relief, employment,
housing and healthcare facilities to the “migrants” from Kashmir who it said were scattered all
overthe country after their exodus from Kashmir valley. The panel said it was informed by the
Union Home Ministry that the State Government’s stand was that “the migrants belong to
Hindu religion and as such do not qualify for grantof minority status.”
Creation of A Conducive Minority Environment: In the Kashmir context,the rise of
majoritarianism as an intimidating force which has jeopardized the socio-political- cultural and
economic rights of KPs, it is incumbent upon the civil society and its institutions to take a
position on its KP minority. While dealing with the situation like this, certain factors need
focused approach like:
Prevention of civil society spaces from encroachment by Jehadi Ideology to avert
the catastrophic changes in the socio-cultural landscape.
Preservation of its Multicultural Character and ethos.
Prevention of anti-KP atrocities by contesting such forces and holdingthem
accountable for Violent Attacks.
Political Empowerment: In modern political milieu having a political voice or stakes in
political system is an important tool in the hands of minorities for self-preservation. It is
incumbent upon the state and central government topolitically empower Kashmiri Pandits.
However, keeping in view their small and dwindling numbers not sufficient to make a
significant mark in political arena, this August House appeals government that as aborigines
provide for this hounded out community reserved constituencies or create a notional
constituencyon the lines of Sangha in Sikkim for Buddhist Monks. This measure will go a long
way in boosting the morale of this beleaguered community tottering on the margins of life.
Temples and Shrines Bill: AIKS strongly demands that as Temples and Shrinesconstitute the
living symbols of civilizational presence of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir and need constant
funding for repair, maintenance and development, immediate passage of the Temples and
Shrines Bill is of utmost importance in order to save these priceless icons of our heritage in
the Valley. It is the solemn responsibility of the political administration to enact the Bill into
law that wouldenable the community to exercise control and manage their assets.
Three smart townships:AIKS demands three smart townships at district headquarters of
Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramullah. The time has come when all KP organizations should
wrap up all hypothetical formulae and focus on pragmatic and most justifiable option of
satellite cities (three cities) for the entire community of Internally displaced persons with
adequate security. These Cities should be self-sufficient in terms of overall infrastructure,
economic avenues, adequate land, decent accommodation, educational institutions, medical
care, recreation centres, commercial infrastructure etc.
Annexure-II
Residual Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir: There is a renewed threat and target attacks on KP’s
who chose to stay in Kashmir even after ignominious exodus of1990 and have lost many of its
members since 2020 hybrid terrorism has reared its ugly head in the valley. They live in
constant fear of reprisal attacks and theirfragile sense of security is further fuelled by recent
daring acts of target killings of even non Kashmiri Hindu community, which had touched off
almost another wave of exodus among these left over KPs. There is a need for sufficient
confidence building measures to instil a sense of confidence and security among them, we
consider as our ambassadors in the valley.
The CBMs should come by way of government taking cognizance of their day to day survival
issues and providing them the succour they need which should work as an incentive for them
to stay back in the Valley with dignity. Their wellbeing with a sense of dignity is integral to
the restitution of the community in itsentirety in Kashmir.
PM Package Employees: The PM package KP employees on protest for almost eight months
fighting for their just demands and official apathy towards their genuine threat perception in
the wake of heightened target killings of their colleagues in the valley has hugely disappointed
and dismayed the exiled community. AIKS therefore demands:
Creation of Safe Ecosystem and Better Working Conditions.
Provision of Secure Official Accommodation to The Employees Optingfor Jobs In
Kashmir.
Proper Transfer Policy Consistent with Employment Rules andRegulations.
Repeal of SRO-412 From The Package.
Risk Allowance Consistent with Central Government Employees.
(Dr. Ramesh Raina)
President, AIKS
AIKS affiliated Units at:
Inland : Agra, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Ambala, Amritsar, Bangalore,
Bahadurgarh, Baroda, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi,Dharamshala,
Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Gwalior, Hyderabad,Indirapuram, Indore,
Jabalpur, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai,
Moradabad, Nagpur, Noida, Panchkula, Pune, Ranchi, Sahibabad, Shimla,
Srinagar, Udaipur, Varanasi
Overseas : U.K. & U.S.A
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