No separate townships for migrant Pandits, says Sayeed

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Thursday denied that there was any proposal to set up separate clusters for migrant Pandits in the Kashmir Valley.

Responding to the hue and cry raised in the state legislative assembly by opposition Congress and the regional National Conference (NC) legislators over the government's proposal to set up composite townships for migrant Pandits in the valley, Sayeed said: "We have no proposal to set up separate satellite townships for migrant Pandits."

"We want them to return to their native places and live honourably among Muslim neighbours...because of misinformation an impression is being created that separate clusters would be set up for Pandits."

The chief minister said that during the previous Congress-NC term "5,000 to 8,000 government jobs were given to migrant Pandits with the condition that they would serve in the valley. The only honourable way for their return is to places where they lived before migration".

He added: "There is no proposal for any separate homeland for Kashmiri Pandits."

Sayeed also denied that there is any proposal under the government's consideration to acquire 500 kanals of land for setting up composite townships for Pandits in the valley.

Despite the chief minister's clarification, opposition lawmakers continued to cause a din in the house over the issue.

Thursday is the last day of the state assembly's budget session.