Return to Valley: BJP tells protesting employees

As the protest by Kashmiri pandit employees entered 13th day today after they fled Kashmir due to the alleged stone pelting by mobs on their transit camps, Jammu BJP unit today asked them that they have to eventually return to the Valley even as the employees termed it a "mere eyewash".
A four-member BJP team which included MLCs Surinder Ambardar and Ramesh Arora, State General Secretary Narinder Singh and President Minority Cell Chand Bhat today met the protesting employees and told them that it were not the employees only but the entire Kashmiri pandit community has to return to the Valley and settle there.

"Our resolve is that entire Kashmiri pandit community has to return and settle in Kashmir. Every single soul wherever they are living have to go back in a way that they don't get displaced again," Ambardar said.
He said they will create an environment in the Valley for the return of migrant pandits and will even talk to separatists if they come forward for peace in the state.
"Many miscreants in Kashmir Valley targeted the camps of Kashmiri Pandit employees in stone pelting in places like Vessu, Kupwara, Mattan, Haal and others," Ambardar said.
Hitting out at Pakistan, he said "Pakistani Prime Minister is apprehending a coup in the country and has instigated violence in Kashmir which led to the attack on Kashmiri pandit camps".

Meanwhile, the protesting employees termed the "assurances" by BJP leaders as a "mere eyewash".

"It was only after 13 days that the BJP leadership woke up from its deep slumber and came here to enquire what our problems are. They should have come with a solution," National Spokesman, All Party Migrants Coordination Committee, King Bharti said.
He alleged that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his two-day Kashmir visit "did not enquire about the employees".
Over 1400 Kashmiri pandit employees returned to Jammu from various transit camps in the Valley in the wake of the violent protests that erupted after the Killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani.

More than 1600 displaced Kashmiri pandits have been recruited under Prime Minister's special employment package and are posted in Kashmir since 2009.