Panun Kashmir, an organisation advocating for the rights of Kashmiri Hindus, has announced a series of intensified protests, including a hunger strike and a mass demonstration, to press for their long-standing demands for a separate homeland and justice. The planned actions follow a recent protest in Delhi and the submission of a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office, signaling a determined effort to keep community aspirations at the forefront of national discourse.
The organisation has set September 5 for a one-day ‘Nyaya Sankalpa’ or hunger strike in Jammu. This will be followed by a larger public demonstration on September 14, observed as ‘Balidan Diwas’ (Day of Sacrifice). Tito Ganju, the chairman of Panun Kashmir, stated that the group is actively engaging with various Kashmiri Hindu organisations, community bodies, and representative institutions to garner support and ensure broad participation in these upcoming events. Information reaching Tahir Rihat suggests that the leadership believes a united front is crucial for the success of their campaign.
Ganju emphasized that while the organisation remains hopeful for a positive response from the government regarding the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, democratic engagement must continue until the community’s aspirations receive substantial constitutional consideration. He articulated that the memorandum encapsulates the collective desires of the displaced community and expressed a sincere hope that the government will address the issue with the gravity it warrants. However, he stressed that their democratic responsibility compels them to persistently remind the nation that justice, long delayed for nearly four decades, should not ultimately be denied.
The call for participation is extensive, with Ganju appealing to all Kashmiri Hindu organisations, socio-cultural groups, intellectuals, youth bodies, women’s associations, professionals, students, senior citizens, religious institutions, social activists, community leaders, diaspora organisations, and all well-wishers of the cause to lend their full support and participate wholeheartedly. He underscored that the responsibility for achieving justice does not rest with a single organisation but is a collective undertaking for the entire community. The chairman urged for unity, transcending organisational affiliations, personal differences, and individual preferences, to make the hunger strike and the public demonstration a unified assertion of collective will and commitment to justice. He implored every Kashmiri Hindu and every organisation dedicated to their cause to stand in solidarity with Panun Kashmir during these crucial programmes.
Panun Kashmir has consistently reiterated its core demands, which include the formal recognition of the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus, ensuring justice and accountability for victims of forced displacement, the enactment of a Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Bill, and the implementation of the 1990 Margdarshan Resolution. A central demand remains the creation of a separate, constitutionally protected homeland within the Valley. Furthermore, the organisation seeks robust constitutional and political safeguards for the community and champions the principle of ‘Justice Before Statehood,’ highlighting the primacy of addressing historical grievances and ensuring security before any discussions on the political status of the region.
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an independent journalist, activist, and digital media professional from the Chenab Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He is best known for his work as the Online Editor at The Chenab Times.