JAMMU: Stating that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stands for dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) to their homes and hearths in Valley, party State President and MLA Sat Sharma said that the community is part and parcel of Kashmir.
Sat declared this while welcoming new entrants from displaced community into party fold in presence of State General Secretary (Org.) Ashok Kaul, MLC Surinder Ambardar, Kashmir Displaced District President T.N Bhat and prominent woman leader Sheela Handoo.
“The BJP has all along stood with the displaced KPs right from 1989, when they had to leave their native homes and properties,” BJP State Chief said adding that during all these years, the community has undergone stress, pain and faced numerous difficulties but kept moving ahead, for which it deserves appreciation.
He further said that the concern of BJP for DPs can be well judged from the fact that the BJP run State Governments across the country provided seats in technical and professional institutions to their wards.
Ashok Kaul said that the BJP has constituted separate Displaced District for the KPs with an objective of providing them platform to highlight their problems and work for the mitigation of the same.
He said that the BJP is not only confined to Kashmiri Pandits in Valley but it has registered three lakh members in Kashmir with majority of them from Muslim community.
The passion for getting associated with BJP in Kashmir is seen when the party appoints an office bearer and the number of aspirants of Kashmiri Muslims for the post runs in hundreds.
Surinder Ambardar spoke on various projects and schemes launched by BJP led NDA government at the Centre.
Prominent among those who joined BJP included Pannun Kashmir Founder Member Ravinder Raina, reknowned intellectuals and public figures namely Shoky Lidhoo, R.K. Raina, Adv. Ram Krishan Koul, Rakesh Koul, Sharda Nandan Bhat, S.K. Kachroo, H.L. Koul, B.L. Raina, Ashok Patwari, Kuldeep Raina, Mohan Lal Bhat, Kewal Krishan Daftain, Chand Bhat, Prof. M.K. Raina and Raja Tikoo.