On 19 January , 1990 approximately 4,000 kashmiri pandits exoded from Kashmir valley due to the threats of Islamic radicals and militants. These Kashmiri Pandits are hindu minorities who were living in the Kashmir since independence.
The mass exodus of Kashmiri pandits was seen where they lost homes, jobs , habitats and turned into refuges.
The Islamic militants were brutally killing , clobbering the hindu minorities. According to director of Kashmir there were 4000 killings on 19 January and the Government Of India record says 219 killings took place.
Kashmir has always been vulnerable since the time of partition because of islamic radicals (jihadists) and militants. There are now 41000 plus recorded deaths in Kashmir due to jihadists threats in 27 years. In 2019 the article 370 was abrogated which bought kashmir under India's control.
In the lead of the events of 1990 , Kashmir was in ferment. Shiekh abdullah , the leader of National conference , a party in J&K , died in 1982 and the leadership of the National Conference (political party in J&k) passed on to his son Farooq Abdullah who won the 1983 election. But within two years, the centre broke up the National Conference, and installed Ghulam Mohammad Shah as Chief Minister. This led to huge dissatisfaction and huge political instability.
The Jammu & Kashmir liberation front (JKLF ) , a militant organisation stepped up its activities, and hanging of militant leader Maqbool Bhat in 1984 added to the sense of foreboding. In 1986 , the Rajeev Gandhi government opened the Babri Masjid to enable Hindus also to offer prayers there. Ripples were left in Kashmir too.
In Anantnag, there were series of attacks in Hindu temples, shops and properties of Kashmiri Hindus were vandalized. The constituency belonged to congress leader Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, blamed on separatists and secessionists.
By then, the pandits had begun to be targeted. On September 13, murder of BJP leader Tika Lal tapoo turned deadly situations. Neel Kanth Ganjoo , a retired judge who had sentenced Maqbool Bhat to death , was shot dead outside J&K High Court in Srinagar on November 14. On September 27, journalist lawyer was also shot dead.
Hit list of pandits were in circulation. Matters came to head on January 19. By then Farooq Abdullah's government had been dismissed and Governor's rule was imposed. According to accounts published by eminent pandits , there were intense announcements on loudspeakers from Mosques and on streets. Speeches and slogans were being raised extolling Pakistan and the supremacy of Islam and against Hinduism.
The Kashmiri pandits decided to leave hastily packed belongings and whatever transport they got. The first mob left overnight. This exodus continued till the month of April.
Talking in numbers, according to estimate by Kashmiri Pandits Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) 399 pandits were killed from 1990 to 2011. Some 800 families have remained in the valley through these three decades.
Failure of administration were the major cause of this massacre and more specifically that of the J&K Governor, Jagmohan. Additionally, there were absence of the safety guarantees by the Governor.
Displaced
During exodus, pandits were placed in camps but only few expected their exile to last beyond a few months. Elite Kashmiri Pandits initially moved to the other states and some flew abroad. But middle class were left in refugee camps sometimes in unkempt and unclean surroundings especially those from rural areas languished longer in refugee camps.The major issue in this massacre lies here the of the administration. It is said that the administration was also tilted towards militants and provoked pandits to leave Kashmir for which the transport was also arranged by the government.
In the massacre not only pandits , but some moderate muslims, Hindus , sikhs , Dalits also died the communities which remains unaccounted.
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