Separatists join Kashmiri Pandits in Khirbhawani celebrations

Muslims decorate temples, beseech Hindus to return to home for good

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Jun 9: Dreaded JKLF terrorist Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, who once admitted on Doordarshan to have gunned down over two dozen members of the minority community over directions of his “commander” in 1990, was among pioneers of the separatist guerrilla movement, who hugged and kissed the displaced Pandit pilgrims on occasion of the annual festival at the revered Khirbhawani Temple at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district today. Yasin Malik and Javed Mir, who were among the top four JKLF “commanders” in 1989-90, were enthusiastically in attendance, 21 years after their armed cadres spread a wave of terror and caused mass migration of the 200,000-strong minority.

With the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s “Truth & Reconciliation Commission” failing to take birth, quite a number of Kashmiri separatists were conspicuous by their presence at Tulmulla---Omar’s Assembly constituency. This is the place where a Kashmiri Muslim resident maintained pouring tumblers and buckets of fresh milk into the holy spring all through the terror decade of 1990s when Pandits had deserted the village and a CRPF company stayed in guard. The middle-aged villager, in typical Pandit outfits, showed no semblance of fear even when militants Hameed Gada alias Bombar Khan and Bula Hajam stood more dreaded than Sholay’s Gabbar Khan in entire Tulmulla belt.

As thousands of the devotees poured in from Jammu, Udhampur, Nagrota and also from outside J&K, Khirbhawani looked no different from what it was in the pre-militancy halcyon days---a colourful mixture of young and the old, male and the female, Hindus and the Muslims. Today’s festivity was indeed an improvement over the last 10-12 years as members of diverse religious affiliation hugged each other. Many of them were in tears on meeting their estranged childhood friends and neighbours after years of separation.

Separatists like Malik, Javed Mir, Karate and their decade-old senior, Shabir Shah, lagged behind none in embracing and beseeching Pandits to return to their home. They seemed to be doing their best to reassure that nothing, nobody would harm them. Hordes of the displaced population agreed on spot to visit their residential hamlets they had left behind in 1989-90. It appeared that few recent incidents of firing and encounters were in nobody’s mind. “Such incidents do happen everywhere today. There’s nothing communal in them. We are not scared at all”, said 70-year-old Bhushan Lal Bhat of Kulgam. “I remember the last massacre of Pandits---at Nadimarg village of Bhat’s area---happened in 2003”.

Today’s re-union in Ganderbal happened four days after the authorities claimed in separate statements that the number of militants in Kashmir had dropped to the lowest ever of 200-something. Notwithstanding the other day’s broad daylight killing near Press Enclave in the Civil Lines here, residents believe the number could be even less than a hundred. Seventy to ninety percent participant in current Panchayat elections stands testimony to the fact that the militant can kill but can not terrorise now.

“I am hopeful that all those who had been appointed in the special recruitment drive last year but had not shown up for fear, could join their services in the Valley soon”, an official posted in General Administration Department said after witnessing today’s enthusiasm, communal harmony and what the IAS babus from outside call “Kashmiriyat”. He revealed that Chief Minister today directed IG CID to immediately complete character verification of the waiting Pandit recruits so that they could report for duty as early as possible.

During his reassurance to the pilgrims, Chief Minister made it clear that it were some “influential leaders from Hindu community” who had prevented Government’s Bill on Hindu temples and shrines in coming up for consideration in Assembly. He claimed that delegations and telegrams went even to Prime Minister and AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. He was optimistic that the Bill would be passed in next session of Legislature in September.

Muslim groups, local NGOs and several government departments had installed stalls, offering cold drinks, fruit juices, fresh fruit and mineral water to the soulful devotees.

Jubilant over the great transformation, men in the government thronged Tulmulla in beeline. And their appearance was indeed no news. Those who descended on the shrine village included Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his advisors and a number of Ministers like Abdul Rahim Rather, Raman Bhalla, Nasir Aslam Wani et al. 

Reports said that over 3000 devotees participated in special sessions of prayers at Khirbhawani Asthapan at Tikker on Kupwara-Tangdar Road where senior separatist leader and Chairman of Peoples Conference, Bilal Gani Lone, joined members of the minority community in today’s celebrations. Residents said that it was for the first time that hundreds of Muslims intermingled with their Pandit brethren and a major prayer session was held in Kupwara in the last 21 years.

Tears trickled down their cheeks when Muslim and Hindu women, particularly those who were friends or neighbours or merely knew each other before 1990, hugged each other and resolved to continue with their centuries old communal harmony. Emotional scenes marked the festival. Most of the pilgrims stayed there for one or two days as they seemed to be in no hurry to return to Jammu and other places. Everywhere, there was insistence on returning to home.

It was first time in 21 years that bells jingled and prayers were performed at Mata Devi temple at Aeshmuqam, close to a revered Muslim shrine in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. In the last two days, Muslims of the area had decorated the dilapidated temple to the best of their taste and even arranged everything required for prayers and the rituals to be performed by the Pandits. It was a festival with a difference. Pilgrims appreciated the sentiments of the resident Muslims in welcoming them back to their home and hearth. Would they really return for good, and if yes, would they live secure, nobody knows.

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