Indian-Americans march in Seattle to observe 30th anniversary of Kashmiri pandits mass exodus

A large crowd of Indian diaspora marched on the streets of Seattle to observe the 30th anniversary of the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990.

Amid the slogans of 'Pakistan, Pakistan, stop genocide' and 'What does Jihad promote, Genocide, Genocide', Kashmiri Pandits who came here after the genocide shared their stories regarding the incident.

On January 19, 1990, lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee from their homes in the Kashmir Valley following a genocidal campaign launched by the terrorists, backed by Pakistan.

"We are witnessing a steady awakening of the Americans about the real dangers of the violent Islamic extremism, Jihad, and how Pakistan is the epicentre of that ideology. Everyday people that come to this area made a point to stop and listen to our poems, stanzas, and slogans and waved hands to understand our collective pain," said a demonstrator.

"We elaborated with slogans that 'Hindu lives - matter too', 'Sikh lives - matter too', 'Buddhist lives - matter too', 'Christian lives - matter too' and celebrated India's new CAA that welcomes religious minorities that suffer at the hands of Islamic states of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan," he added.

During an event in Edison of New Jersey on Kashmiri Pandit Genocide, Actor Anupam Kher remembered the day of January 19, thirty years back and called the tragedy a "shameful" chapter of history.

"We are remembering what had happened in 1990. We are remembering the loss. There is a sense of shame in that loss," said Kher.

Kher recalled the incidents that took place prior to the exodus. "It was planned. Through a systematic way, the Kashmiris Pandits were threatened through rapes, extreme brutalities, murders and then they were forced to flee the region," he added.