Dear Rahul Gandhi Ji, I am a Kashmiri Pandit and my Gotra is Dattatreya. It was heartening to see that you openly confessed your Gotra at Pushkar as Koul-Dattatreya. I saw the byte of the Priest on T.V, wherein he declared emphatically that you and your ancestors are ‘Kashmiri Brahmins’.
It is widely speculated or rather believed that you had to publically announce your caste and Gotra in order to look correct politically. However, your confession also portrays the polity of today’s India. Being just ‘secular’ is not enough today. Being Indian-without being framed as a Hindu or Muslim is just impossible today. And being Hindu, without divulging your caste is equally impossible.
Being a seasoned politician, I don’t need to tell you why? In-between, every time I fill a form, I am being asked my Religion as well as the caste.
Religion, as well as caste-based politics, is the norm of today. We have a plethora of politicians who exist today because of Religion, caste, region or all of them. Sh.Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sh. Lalu Yadav, Chautala’s, Khushwaha’s, Mayawati, Abdullah’s, Mufti’s etc are the names who have thrived on caste or Religion -based-politics.
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However, they have done a lot to mitigate the problems of that section-whom they represent. Also, a section of the followers, who identify with them because of the same caste and religion- have this impression that they belong to them and have faith in them.
When Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru died, I was told by my Late Grandmother that Kashmiri Pandit men and women lamented on his bereavement and in an impromptu procession, Kashmiri Pandit women were beating their chest in grief. Kashmiri Pandits also grieved the Death of Lt. Indira Gandhi. It was as if someone from their own family had departed. The Tragic Death of late Rajiv Gandhi too was condoled by your own community of Kashmiri Pandits.
But, everything changed after that. The Kashmiri Pandit community felt cheated by the Congress leadership after 1990. If you will go through the social media sites, you will come across scores of posts by Kashmiri Pandits denouncing and castigating you, because Kashmiri Pandits feel that Your party left them, when they needed you the most!
Sometimes looking ‘politically correct ‘ backfires too. Your party’s tacit policy of neglecting KP’s is so obvious. Just because, your Own-community of Kashmiri Pandit did not form a substantial vote bank; does not mean that justice should not be given to them!
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Since you have publically proclaimed of being a ‘Kashmiri Brahmin’, (either because of compulsion or to look politically correct in today’s political scenario; ) I want to share just 3 facts with you and ask some questions being a fellow Kashmiri Pandit of ‘Dattatreya’ Gotra.
1. Majority of the Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee Kashmir because of being ‘Hindu’ as well as for loving their country-India by the Jihadi-Islamists. They were assassinated brutally and till today, their Murderers are roaming free.
Question:-why are the murderers of the community-whom you belong to-roaming free? Why didn’t your Government formed an S.I.T to probe the killings and give justice to your own community!
2. The properties and temples of your own community-The Kashmiri Pandits-has been illegally encroached upon by a section of people, who are not from our community. The sad and the cumbersome part is that the onus goes on to the Kashmiri pundits to prove their claim on the encroached properties; which is very difficult in a hostile environment. Thanks again to the burgeoning of unchecked jihadi-Islamists influence, that has made its way into the Government institutions too.
Question:-though, an attempt was made in NC-Congress regime to redress this grievance, However, why was the hostile environment against Kashmiri Pandits ignored? Why didn’t your Government made the process easier and more friendly, so that justice without delay should have been delivered to your own beleaguered community!
3. A section of Kashmiri Pandits still live in penury and in unhygienic circumstances at places such as Jagati in Jammu.
Question:-why are your fellow community men living in such hostile conditions? What has your Government done for them? Why didn’t you even once, visited your own community, when they were living in tattered tents with bruised hearts?
If your fellow contemporaries such as the Yadavs can deliver justice to their own communities, why can’t you do the same? Don’t you think, you too owe to that community-who has given you an identity of being a Kashmiri Brahman and has given you a Gotra- Dattatreya.
Think about it!
Regards
Koul-Dattatreya, Kashmiri Pandit/Brahmin
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