Forced to flee their homeland by the outbreak of terror, thousands of Kashmiri Pandits residing in the national capital have also lost what were their homes with the October 8 killer earthquake having razed their ancestral houses in the affected zones.
'We will return home some day' was the thought that crossed the minds of nearly three lakh Kashmiri Hindus when they were driven out of their state way back in 1990.
However, as the dust settles down on the ruins of their homes in the worst-affected areas of Uri and Tangdhar, the despondent Pandits here are realising that this time they have truly lost everything, with little hope for future.
"Lakhs of Pandits who had left behind their ancestral homes in places like Uri and Tagdhar have lost property and land," Romesh Raina, General Secretary of the Kashmiri Samiti, a representative body of migrants told PTI.
"We are yet to assess the actual loss, but lakhs of Pandits ousted from their homeland have lost property," Raina said.
"Neither the state nor the central government have approached us regarding the property loss of families from the worst affected areas of Uri and Tangdhar," Sunil Shakdher, President of the Samiti added.
The silence of both governments clearly indicates that the Pandit families, largely residing here in relief camps for the last 15 years, have now clearly lost their identity, Shakdher said.
"However, in this time of need, the Pandit families here and all over the state have come together to pool resources to aid the quake victims in Jammu and Kashmir," Raina said.
They are understood to have garnered an amount of Rs 10 crore, which is in the process of being dispatched to the state government for the victims of the massive temblor that in a matter of seconds took away hundreds of lives and rendered thousands homeless.
This is a time to forget personal loss and stand united with our brothers in their grief," Raina said.
"What will happen when the actual estimated loss to property comes in, the houses are now gone, the land may be reclaimed by other parties, who will redraw the boundaries?"
Shakdher questioned adding 'they were living as refugees for the last 15 years, and now the quake has taken away the little that remained to bring them home'.
"We were hoping at one point of time that the state and Centre will start a dialogue involving the Pandits, the Ladakhis, the Dogris and maybe we will once again be able to return, but it seems impossible now," he added.
