Jammu: Brij Lal Bhat, a social worker from the Kashmiri Pandit community who was named a recipient of the Padma Shri award in the ‘unsung heroes’ category on Sunday, said that clear rays of positivity were visible on the ground after decades of bloodshed in Kashmir.
He stressed that a comprehensive policy was needed for the return of his community to the Valley.
Bhat, a former bureaucrat, expressed confidence that with a balanced policy and continued efforts, Kashmir can restore its old glory as a symbol of harmony and coexistence.
“I have served in Kashmir, and I have witnessed the period of peak militancy and terrorism. I was a witness to the growing darkness of terrorism. Today, I am also a witness to the rays of positivity that are emerging,” he told PTI Videos here, shortly after being named for the national honour.
Bhat recalled that when he was a government servant in the Valley, he could not do anything.
“After retirement, when I was freed from that bondage, I thought I should stay back in Kashmir, so that I could try to correct the mistakes that had happened,” he said.
Welcoming the award, he said he does not see it as a personal achievement but as recognition for the institution he is working for: Sri Ramakrishna Mission Ashram and Vivekananda Kendra in Nagdandi.
“The core objectives of our organisation, which has nearly 900 branches across India, were man-making and nation-building. But in the context of Kashmir, they added one more objective: the return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.
Bhat said they are making efforts to rebuild community bonds and celebrate traditional festivals, facilitate youth meets and conferences.
“My responsibility is to integrate the youth of all communities and bring them together in civil society initiatives. In this, I believe we achieved some success,” he said, adding that they are also conducting national-level activities to bring youth from various districts under one roof.
He said the Central and Jammu and Kashmir governments were working with various groups and NGOs to bring a positive change. “I can clearly see that under the present leadership, we are now capable of restoring Kashmir to its old glory. We are moving in that direction.”
The objective, Bhat said, is to see that the gun is completely replaced by the pen. “That change is happening. Today, the district development commissioners in four to five districts are youths from Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said normalcy will not be possible in Kashmir unless the youth from the majority community take an initiative to welcome those from the minority sections.
He pointed out that about 6,000 Kashmiri Pandits, who were employed in the Valley under the Prime Minister’s job package, are there due to the support of youths from the majority community and their parents.
“I stay in Kashmir for at least nine months a year. The ground situation today is that the people now say violence brought them nothing,” Bhat said, adding, “We must unite and forget what has happened. Let us rebuild that old Kashmir and restore its glory.”
However, the social worker said, efforts alone are not enough to bring back those who fled the Valley more than three decades ago.
“A clear policy must come from the Government of India and the Jammu and Kashmir government. That policy must be discussed with the displaced community to seek suggestions and improvements. The policy must also take the majority community into confidence,” he said.
“When there is a Central policy that is acceptable to the displaced as well as the majority community, peace and normalcy will follow. Only then can Kashmir truly become what it once was,” he said.
