Canadian MP supports Modi govt plan to resettle Kashmiri Pandits in Valley

Bob Saroya, a Member of Parliament from Markham-Unionville, Canada condemned the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits in January 1990 and supported the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to resettle them in the Valley.

In a statement on the 31st anniversary of the attack on the Hindu population of Kashmir, he wrote, "I ask the international community to take effective measures to prevent this and similar types of crimes against humanity. I support the Government of India plans to help Kashmiri Hindus to return safely back to their homes".

Remembring the gruesome genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Kashmiri Pandit in January 1990, he wrote, "I would like to express my condolences to the families and friends of all those who were killed, raped and injured in this massacre."

Bob also condemned the desecration of old Hindu temples in Kashmir and lauded the resilience and courage of the local Pandit community.

"I condemn the desecration of thousands of years old Hindu places of worship in Kashmir. I condemn the resilience and courage shown by the members of the Kashmiri Pandit community who survived this gruesome genocide and ethnic cleansing," added Bob.

Earlier, Kashmiri Pandits had demanded a reversal of exile and had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to grant them the territory for return, restitution, rehabilitation and political empowerment.

They had also demanded the creation of a single-window nodal authority under Chief Secretary for addressing all the Kashmiri Pandits issues and implementing all the schemes in place.

The displaced Kashmiri Pandits across the world commemorate January 19 as 'holocaust day'. This is the 31st anniversary of the attack on the Hindu population of Kashmir valley in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic militants, sponsored by Pakistan.

(ANI)