Kashmiri Pandits demand genocide recognition, separate homeland

Kashmiri Pandits gathered in Jammu to commemorate Balidan Diwas, an annual remembrance of the community's suffering during periods of displacement and violence in Kashmir. The observance served as a platform for articulating grievances that have persisted for decades, with participants emphasizing the need for formal state recognition of their historical trauma.

Community leaders reiterated demands for legal designation of the violence and forced migration of Kashmiri Pandits as 'genocide'—a classification that has remained contested and unresolved in official circles. The group argued that such recognition would constitute an essential step toward addressing historical injustices and ensuring accountability.

Participants also renewed calls for the establishment of a dedicated Kashmiri Pandit homeland within Kashmir Valley, to be governed under direct Union protection. Advocates contend that such an arrangement would enable displaced members to return to their ancestral region while ensuring security and administrative safeguards.

The demands reflect ongoing grievances within the Kashmiri Pandit diaspora, many of whom fled the valley during communal upheaval in the early 1990s. Despite intervening decades, efforts to secure formal recognition and rehabilitation measures have yielded limited progress, keeping the issue central to community discourse.