PEACE WALK ON 18 JANUARY 2015: JOIN IN

The Missing Links

By: Lakshmi Kaul (Founder and Executive Member, Team@KPCS)

I have been thinking and this is a recurring thought. One of my dear friends and fellow activist posted this picture of their home in Kashmir - the home they had to leave behind. He dreams of returning to it - he has an address to go back to.
He has seen his real home, experienced its warmth! For many (increasing number) like me who do not even know what their home was, there is a more difficult battle ahead. It is an identity crisis... We are homeless and disconnected. All we have that we can hold onto is pieces of guesswork jigsaw we have/are building from secondary and tertiary memory.

I just feel like an orphan child. Having stuttered and stammered an abrupt response to the much hated question - where are you from?

I do not have memory of being thrown out of my home (I never saw it). I Ofcourse have no idea what pain is... Of living in camps because I have always lived in a 'home' my parents lovingly built for me and my sisters.

Each time the discussion of 'exile' and 'migration' takes place - I am silent as I have no personal account to share. My heart bleeds but to nobody's sight.

The pain is and will be there. The thing we forget is that I am Infact a representation of several who were thrown out of their homes.

The youth today who are pitied and looked down upon and blamed to not know the language or culture / they are the real destitutes. I am them!

And I can tell you - it hurts but we have wounds that don't show.

The pain I feel is numbness and since it seems there is no sensation it's more serious.

The day our wounds show and the numbness leaves us, pain seethes through will be the turning point in this battle. We are the missing links - only waiting to awaken!

A poem that I had written sometime back and some of you will recall..I dedicate it to all those living in exile..

Your eyes have stoned,
The tears have run out,
In the endless wait
To return home...
You are lucky
You have a dream
That you've visualised...
Those brooks of fresh water,
The apple orchards..

I, a cultural destitute
Don't know what heaven on earth is,
It is a mere chapter in my history book,
Or a family holiday that is being planned for years...

These four walls,
Manic, busy schedules
A place I call home
It suffocates me

There is pain
That seethes within
Who am I?
Where is home?

Follow Lakshmi on Twitter: @KaulLakshmi

Email: lakshmikaul@kpcsuk.org

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Haro, Batt` Chuii: The story of Leadership

By Anupama Handoo

(Core Group Member, Team@KPCS)

“Martyr Tikalal Taploo wasn't killed by militants- much before that he was killed by his own brethren - who didn't vote for him (in 1983)”. A friend said that to me in passing. 31 years later its election time again in J&K and we were discussing candidates. 24 Kashmiri Pandit candidates decided to stand for election from Habbakadal this time - '2 for each month’ I retorted, but something snapped inside me. I am intrigued by the seemingly rudderless community of mine. Why in Vitasta's name can't we choose a leader and follow him/her?

The answer coming from all directions is- because we are all intellectuals. We look for flaws in our leaders and highlight them as reason for not following them. Fair enough! We did however vote for Ghulam Mohd. Bhat (Gul Raida) in the election that both Pandit candidates, Sh. Tikalal Taploo and Sh. Piaray Lal Kharihalu lost in a Pandit majority constituency of Habbakadal. Was he flawless? We have also been staunch supporters of the Nehru-Gandhi family and their version of Congress. They aren't blameless either. So this argument doesn’t hold much weight. It is however apparent that we like to salute the rising sun. An already successful leader is more likely to gain our adulation than someone who is still struggling to rise. Sycophancy is one of our exalted virtues.

Another casual chat, another argument surfaced. We Kashmiri Pandits suffer from crab mentality. If there are people amongst us who are doing well (leading), we try and bring them down. In fact, I see that a lot around me. A lot of energy is spent negating good work, creating misunderstandings, denigrating people, their character assassination and holding a moral high ground. I am no expert on human nature, but can safely say that this happens in all communities not just Kashmiri Pandits. However the difference is that in other communities people do this for a reason. Someone will step on you because one wants your fame, power, money, business, promotion etc. In our community someone will step on you but not be necessarily interested in your goals, your promotion, your position. So it is crab mentality, but neither of the two crabs succeeds - and in the process actually the community loses.

I have spoken to many intellectuals in our community and they are all very keen to draw parallels of our similarity to the Jewish community and the Holocaust. However, I fail to see the same commitment for a common cause, a unified community or a purposeful collaboration by Kashmiri Pandits. Many communities vote en`masse so they have political clout. Other communities do business with or recruit within a preferred group so they get financial or professional clout. We Kashmiri Pandits do neither - actually we positively discriminate against our own and that keeps the whole community down.

Coming to the topic of leadership - isn't it strange that we are spread around the world as scientists, doctors, bureaucrats – but not as leaders. I will be happy to be proved wrong – but there is not a single Kashmiri Pandit Member of Parliament (or any other democratic institution) in the whole world – as against Gujaratis, Punjabis, Tamilians etc.

Hari Krishan Kaul, premier of Kashmir in 1930s is fabled to have said: ‘Haro, batt` chuii – Khyavizen Chhavizen, Yezzath karizes, magar Pachizes n zaahn’. Translated: Haro (name) beware of the Kashmiri Pandit, treat him, feed him, respect him, but do not trust him. The master leader, bureaucrat Hari Krishan Kaul (for whom the term Sher-e-Kashmir was originally coined) himself did not trust the community he belonged to. He was actually wary of them. Eventually he was proven right, as on his way out, his own community spurned him. As a community we do not trust each other. Socially we love, respect, go out of our way for each other – but if it was to trust a fellow batt’ with a job, business or our precious vote – we wouldn’t. Sanskrit poet and philosopher Kshemendra (c.990 -c.1070 CE) coined the term ‘Batt’ gav Takshuk’ translated ‘Batt` is a serpent’. This is not the dark ages…but ‘lack of trust’ is still hard wired in our psyche.

My analysis for the lack of leaders in our community has pulled me into a rabbit warren of reasons. Firstly, there is our high horse - ‘b chhus t baey na kah’ (translated ‘no one is as good as me’). Then, there is the habit of pulling people down for no good reason other than that, we have a bit of incriminating information. Lastly, it’s the lack of trust within our own. This lack of leaders is certainly not a good sign. As a dwindling community we need people to represent our interests in the corridors of power. Unless there is a shift change in our mentality as a community, we will be leaderless, rudderless and purposeless for generations to come.


Follow Anu on Twitter: @anu_handoo
Email: anupamahandoo@kpcsuk.org

Glimpses of KPCS, UK Activities: 2014

We have had a very busy year 2014 and it continues till the very end of this year. However, here are glimpses of the year gone by...

Click here to view a collage of Team@KPCS activities and work this year.

KPCS Annual Awards 2014

By Lakshmi Kaul, Founder & Executive Member, Team@KPCS

Bob Blackman MP receives a token of love
from Neetu Jalali (Zafran) on behalf of Team@KPCS

At the Grand Diwali Party this year, the KPCS Annual Awards were given to key role models in the community who have made a positive contribution to the various areas of work. The awards were presented by the Chairman of All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus, Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East constituency). 

The award for Exemplary Community Service was given to Dr. Sundeep Kaul (Sunny bhaiya) from Sutton-Coldfield. 

For his contribution to Political Activism & Awareness of KP Cause, Dr.Vivek Kaul from Oxford was awarded the trophy. 

One of the integral aspects of KP heritage is the various religious traditions that are fast approaching endangerment. The award for Promotion of KP Religious Traditions was presented to Mrs. Meenakshi Labroo from Croydon.

The softer power of any community is its cultural heritage and arts. For her development and promotion of the Kashmiri handicrafts and ensemble as well as the Kashmiri Language, Neetu Jalali Singla from Epsom was given the award for Preservation & Promotion of KP Culture & Heritage.

KPCS has not only grown within the UK but its work and team has extended beyond the barriers of geograpy. One person who single handedly established the international community building for Team@KPCS, helping build global perspective within our work is Vinod Tikoo from Isleworth who received the award for Community Building & Global Networking.

We at KPCS love new ideas and earlier this year, we initiated a fantastic initiative called the KP Professional Conclave to encourage professional development and mentorship within the community. To recognise this key contribution of Ashish Raina from Luton, he was awarded the trophy for his contribution to Entrepreneurship & Professional Excellence. Dr. Shiben Durani received the award on behalf of Ashish on the evening, in his absence.

Bob Blackman MP addressing Team@KPCS at the Diwali party

 

Dr. Maharaj Kishen Ghassi congratulating Bob Blackman MP
for his contribution to the KP Cause. 

Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society, UK (KPCS, UK) has grown and progressed as a people's movement. The various activities, our engagement with each other and also with KPs all over the world has created KPCS as a brand to reckon with. We have achieved big things together and the community is closer, more Koshur than ever before in this country.

In doing all the work, we have seen a few of us emerge as clear role models and harbingers of either chsnge or ideas that have fiercely shaped into full fledged projects. Excellence has been at the core of our work administered with utmost professionalism.

We do say our thankyous very promptly and recognise all contribution made by members across the board.

The Annual Awards are simply an extension of the year's achievements and meant to acknowledge certain role models and achievers who have made a big difference to the community. This they may have done by achieving a National or International recognition for their work/sport etc or they may have achieved this by taking up a challenge and encouraging others to do thereby making the KP community proud. The element of service in a community ranks highest and the selfless service must be recognised so more of us take it upon as our moral and personal responsibility for our community.

Our key thematic areas of work are:
1. Political engagement
2. Religious
3. Professional
4. Culture and Heritage
5. External Engagement and Networking

6. Community Service

The awards, to tie in with the basic premise of our work and in steering the direction of our work ought to recognise contribution in these areas.

KPCS Grand Diwali Party 2014 is a huge success!

The measure of success of any community event is in how participative it is and how many smiles it brings on people's faces at the event and for days and months after...remembering and rejoicing the lovely time that was had! I think it will be fair to say that the Grand Diwali Party was a lot of fun and it will leave us all smiling for  years to come, when we look back and enjoy reliving the lovely moments.



On behalf of Team@KPCS a special thanks to our Guest of Honour, Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East constituency) and Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group for British Hindus and Mr. Sumit Jamuar, Chairman Global GeneCorp - both have been huge supporters of the KP cause in the UK. Bob Blackman MP spoke fearlessly, without mixing his words at the Kashmir Debate in the British Parliament and makes it a point to highlight the KP cause at a number of forums.

Bob Blackman MP with Vinod Tikoo and Pankaj Raina

Vishal Singla with our Special Guest, Sumit Jamuar

(Vishal & Sumit turned out

to be batchmates from IIT days)

A picture is worth a thousand words so the best way to enjoy the moments is to look through the photographs of the evening. click here to visit the photos on our Facebook Page. Photos courtesy: Dr. Vivek Kaul

Of Diwali lights, smiles and all the glamour! 

The guests were welcomed with Champagne and warm smiles by Team@KPCS. This beautiful decoration of diyas set the right mood for all the guests.

To view all the photos of the evening, click here.

All Night Long!

Report on ‪#‎DiwaliParty‬ by Dr. Vivek Kaul

One is very fortunate to be born in a Great family of humanist. 
One is lucky to be born in a Beautiful place.
One is blessed to be born in a 100 percent noble community !

It is a rare privilege & honour to have been bestowed with all of the three above !

Those were my thoughts when I attended our Annual Kashmir Pandit Diwali Gala Dinner Yesterday in London !

I really felt truly honoured to be part of a community which thinks nothing but goodness of Mankind !

I have not come across such a community in my life. Individuals I have met but not a community with such a ethos.
Hatred is never a part of our family education from Childhood which reflecting back is such a great education to receive in a World full of Hatred.

Yesterday's party was a resounding success mainly due to such a decent group of people & have to raise my hats to Lakshmi Kaul ji aka Laks & Anupama Handoo ji.

Super Turbo charged duo they are.

Unique feature of the Party was the due importance given to kids !

Never have I attended a party with Kids being the focus of attention.
Whether it was fashion ramp walk , Dances , Song singing , Piano recitals , prize receiving -Kids were everywhere & were beaming with happiness.

This I think was the Hallmark of this very successful evening.

A Special Salute to Bob Blackman MP for coming to his 9th & Final Diwali function of the day.
He spoke so well about contributions made by Gentle Peace loving Hindu community of GB & welcomed newest entrant , the Kashmiri Pandits to this very elite & humane group of super citizens & role models to other immigrant communities of the UK !

Hope we all keep on positively contributing to the welfare of planet earth

Diwali Celebrations and an ode to Team@KPCS!

By Anupama Handoo, Executive Member and Heritage Lead, Team@KPCS

The much anticipated KPCS Diwali party was a grand success... Vivek Kaul ji has been sharing some fantastic pictures... Thank you! A lot is being said aboutLakshmi Kaul and Anupama Handoo combo... some stuff very good (thanks guys totally flattered ;)) and some non-issues as expected (yawn!!). I have been wanting to set a fact straight... but have been getting distracted (yawn!!!).

What I have been dying to say is: My friends, the success of the Diwali party is down to only one thing - TEAM@KPCS. Kapil Dhar Shivas Bhat Shafalica Bhan Kotwal and Lakshmi - you guys are so selfless and hardworking and so damn focused... WOW!! It was like Arjun's teer - nishane par!!! Well done guys and Salut! You haven't stopped working for the party ever since it was announced and that is what made all the difference. We rocked it again guys.... muah and nalmots!


As my father Ashok Handoo Khamosh said on the way back- the success of any occasion is measured by how much the people felt engaged. It was all about celebrating talent, our kids, our successes and our camaraderie. it was about our 1st KPCS Community award winners: Meenakshi Labroo Sunny Kaul , Vivek Kaul ji, Neetu Jalali and Ashish Raina.

It was about MP Bob Blackman talking about Kashmiri cause- about Kashmir being an inseparable part of India, about him being our advocate for the past 25 years.

It was about the untiring support our kids and families give us when we (Champagne lovers;)) go out and rock the status quo on Kashmiri Pandits cause.Pankaj Raina Vinod Tikoo Chandan Kotwal Rashmi Razdan Nidhi Raina Bhat.

All said and done, ultimately it was our talented kids that stole the show- Congratulating the proud parents: Dev Dhar & Natasha Dhar; Raynoo Mattoo;Seemant Pandita Pooja-Gadoo Wahi. super proud of all you kiddos.. lasiv t pholiv. It was about having fun with hamara bacchas Shivani Bhat Anisha Safaya Mitesh Solanki Tejas, Tanishq, Shivani, Sharika, Bill - our youth our future. I am so proud of how you just soaked up the koshur ishtyle fun and went with the flow (not an ipad in sight!!!).

A special thanks to Dr. Shibhan Durani for giving away the Children's Medals and to Sunil Bakshi for all your help.
So.. the point I was making is this- It was the TEAM@KPCS that rocked last night.. and here is my toast to all those future events with our family that are yet to come. Love you all- Sezar, Pazzar t Srotchar.





With blessings from Elders and love to the younger ones!

1st KP Cruise on River Thames: 27 September

Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society UK gang at the 1st KP Cruise in England!

A beautiful calm day welcomed all the KP families who participated in the first ever KP Cruise in England!

The Waverley Ship arrives!!

Around sixty of us waited excitedly for the ship to arrive and then the magestic beauty arrived!! Welcomed with cheers and waves, the boat named after Sir Walter Scott's first novel, Paddle Steamer Waverley was built on the Clyde in 1947. It was built to replace the original Waverley that sunk off Dunkirk during active war service in 1940.

Waverley is the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer. In 1975, at the end of her working life, she was famously bought for £1 by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, a charity registered in Scotland, was set up to operate the ship. Waverley then began a second career as one of the country’s best-loved tourist attractions.

On board, there was chattering, introductions and lots of giggles. Everyone was busy with their own peers and exploring the ship in their own style.

The boys & the beer!

Chillling out: enjoying the calm waters as we sail!

 

A capacity of around 700 people, the ship was a housefull! A sail time of 1.5 hours, once ashore Southend-on-Sea, the group headed to the adventure island and the beach.

Time to get off!

Batnee Brigade!!

A variety of food - homecooked and bought was brought out and an elaborate picnic took place. Everyone enjoyed the scrumptious food shared with love.

What was the highlight of the day was the superb cleaning of the water body the children undertook!

The dare of the day! The Brrr Dip Challenge..

Also the cold water dip - perhaps in the spirit of the Ice Bucket challenge taken on by Chandan Kotwal, Kapil Dhar and led by our young Palash. Brrr....fantastic!! 

The big water clean up challenge! 

And we walked the 1.6 mile stretch on the pier!!

 

All in all, a great day was had and the bonding became stronger. Onwards and upwards our KPCS brigade!

Knackered!! 

Now the wait is on for the KPCS Grand Diwali Party on Friday, 24th October 2014!!

To view more photos of the cruise, please click here.

Martyrs Day: 14 September

#BalidanDiwas #14September #25YearsInExile

On September 14, 1989, a noted lawyer and BJP national executive member Pandit Tika Lal Taploo was brutally killed by JKLF militants in Srinagar. Murder of this kind man and a political stalwart, shook the entire Pandit community. In the coming days posters came up on walls, summarily ordering all Kashmiris to strictly follow the Islamic dress code, prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks and imposing a ban on video parlours and cinemas. Notices were pasted on doors of Pandit houses, asking the occupants to leave Kashmir. The so-called well wishers and neighbours turned up unannounced and advised that ‘abhi hawa kharaab hai’; ‘escape to Jammu’. More reports of brutal killing of Hindus, invariably Kashmiri Pandits, began to trickle in notably: Justice N K Ganju of the Srinagar high court was shot dead. Pandit Sarwanand Premi, 80-year-old poet, and his son were kidnapped, tortured, their eyes gouged out, and hanged to death. A Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla ji working at the Soura Medical College Hospital in Srinagar was gang-raped and sliced into bits and pieces at a sawmill. In villages and towns across the Kashmir valley, terrorist hit lists are circulated with the names of Kashmiri Pandits wanted dead. A terrifying fear psychosis began to take grip of Kashmiri Pandits.

On January 19, 1990 Jagmohan took charge as governor of Jammu and Kashmir imposed curfew in the valley. JKLF and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists used public address systems at mosques to exhort people to defy curfew and take to the streets. Masked men, firing from their Kalashnikovs, terrorised cowering Pandits. As evening fell, the incitement became louder and shriller. Three taped slogans played repeatedly from the mosques: 'Kashmir mei agar rehna hai, Allah-O-Akbar kehna hai' (If you want to stay in Kashmir, you have to say Allah-O-Akbar); 'Yahan kya chalega, Nizam-e-Mustafa' (What do we want here? Rule of Shariah); 'Asi gachchi Pakistan, Batao roas te Batanev san' (We want Pakistan along with Hindu women but without their men).
….and tens of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits across the valley took the painful decision to flee their homeland to save their lives from rabid jihadis. As many as 300,000 Kashmiri Pandits fled their home and hearth to live as refugees in their own country. A once prosperous community, proud of its rich heritage, lived in grovelling poverty, dependent on government dole and charity, in squalid refugee camps. It’s now 25 years…. an entire generation of exiled Kashmiri Pandits has grown up, without seeing the land from where their parents fled to escape the brutalities of Islamic terrorism.
Lest we forget our roots: Balidaan Diwas in honour of those who gave up their lives so that we could live.

British Parliamentarians side with Kashmiri Hindus

Kashmiri Hindus walked out of the British Parliament in triumph.  The victims of genocide perpetrated by invading extremist Muslim forces were at last able to voice their suffering.  Well informed British MPs lined up in support of the Indian Government position on Kashmir and in support of the Kashmiri Hindus.

In the experience of Kashmiri Hindus, threats such as these have been employed by the extremist to get a foot hold in Kashmir where they then exercise their brutal Sharia style regime. 
Britain's former minister in charge of business engagement with India, Gregory Barker MP, shared an enlightened view. "There is a democratic process in place and around 61 per cent of the population participated in state elections in the region, which sits as part of the world's largest democracy," adding, "Any British insertion will be very unhelpful...India has been the subject of vile terrorist attacks and we stand shoulder to shoulder [with India] on the issue of terrorism".

Conservative Bob Blackman MP of Harrow East (Chair of the All Political Party Group for Hindus) objected to the appeal for right of self determination being projected as a demand of ‘Kashmiris’. He informed the House that, ‘the state of Jammu & Kashmir was a multi-religious and multi-ethnic state that was very much a part of India’.  He reminded the Parliamentarians that, ‘the Maharaja ceded the territory to India. The Pakistani Government and forces refused to accept that decision and invaded. It was at the behest of the Maharaja that the Indian army moved in to try to wrest control back, according to the original purpose. That was in 1947.’ Condemning the terrorist activity in the state, he added, ‘the continued conflict of the past 70 years is terrible, but that it is clear where responsibility for it lies. We must place it fairly and squarely with the Pakistanis and their successive Governments.’ He added, ‘The Shi’a Muslims do not support the right of self-determination, and nor do the Gujjars and Bakarwals, Buddhists, Hindi Dogras, Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs or Christians.’

Labour MP Virendra Sharma of Southall and Ealing said, ' Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, the largest democracy in the world, one that is secular, and with elected representation from all the country’s main religions'. The elections in Jammu and Kashmir are open to all. All citizens, regardless of their faith or political beliefs, have been encouraged to exercise their democratic right. As I am sure we will all agree, in a free democracy the ballot box is the best illustration of the will of the people. The elections in Jammu and Kashmir have not reflected any determination for separatism. It is for us to respect the democratic choice of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir, not to question it.
Gregory Barker MP of Bexhill and Battle constituency added weight to this and said, ‘we must remind ourselves that the recently concluded Indian elections were the largest exercise in democracy in the history of the world: 550 million free Indians, including 7 million from Jammu and Kashmir, voted in peaceful elections and witnessed the orderly transition of power to a new Government with a new vision’.  Adding further he said, ‘Jihadi elements and terrorists are infiltrating into India from Pakistan as part of a terror campaign. The border is porous and must be protected. Soldiers are there not simply to intimidate but to protect the integrity of not only Jammu and Kashmir but the whole Indian nation, which has been subject to vile terrorist attacks, just like we have in the west and in the UK’.
The MPs commended the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society for providing them with quality briefing notes updating them with facts and figures, and in apprising them of the situation on the ground. Lakshmi Kaul from the Kashmiri Pandits Cultural Society (KPCS) said, ‘Painfully for years the propaganda and vote bank politics has sidelined the plight of not only the Kashmiri Hindus, but also other non-Muslim minorities. Today we are pleased to note that some of our British MPs have understood the real nature of the problem in Kashmir, the constant cross border terrorist attacks that have rendered our community to flee for their very lives.  With the new Government in Delhi with a new vision from PM Modi, we are hopeful that soon there will be justice for all Kashmiri Hindus’.
Attending the debate was Satish Sharma the Secretary General of the National Council of Hindu Temples.  He commented, “Even though MP David Wards’ motivation in calling for the debate may have been unsound and biased, the Hindu community of the UK is indebted to him for helping to bring the issue of the genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus at the hands of Pakistani Muslim terrorists, on to the national and international stage.   Bob Blackman MP and Paul Uppal MP and other members of the Government benches presented compelling, well researched arguments and the Hindu community of the UK should appreciate their contribution”.   Mr Sharma went on to say “I was pleased that even Labour MP’s Bob Gardiner and Virendra Sharma were clear in stating that the State sponsored Pakistani Muslim campaign of terror could no longer be ignored and that British citizens of Pakistani Muslim origin should not be using this subject to ferment hatred and divisions here in the UK”.
Messages of support have been arriving from across the country and even from abroad.  Trupti Patel Vice President of Hindu Forum of Britain commented, ‘The Hindu Forum of Britain stands side by side with our brothers and sisters, the Kashmiri Hindus.  The plight of Kashmiri Hindus has resulted from gross violations of cross border terrorist attacks from Pakistan. When men, women and children are threatened at gun point to convert to Islam or die – what options do these peace loving people have but to flee from their ancestral lands into the relative safety of refugee camps in India.  We are pleased to note that some Parliamentarians have understood the real threat and have elected to state the facts ignoring the dreaded political correctness that has blighted so much of this discussion.  Justice for Kashmiri Hindus is now a must and we must all rally behind the victims who fled the genocide coming from cross border extremist Jihadi Muslims’.

The adjournment debate was sponsored by the Bradford East Liberal Democrat MP David Ward and intended to discuss the ‘Political and Humanitarian situation in Kashmir’.   The MP, who has a sizeable Muslim Kashmiri (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) population in his constituency, reminded us of what Barrister Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, the former AJK Prime Minister said when he met MPs through the all-party parliamentary group for Kashmir.  With the rise of extreme jihadists and NATO forces leaving Afghanistan, there is a real danger that what he called “unemployed jihadists” will look for new opportunities within the unresolved Kashmir conflict. 

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Tobias Ellwood) was also in attendance.  He stated, ‘The UK Government recognise the importance of a strong relationship between India and Pakistan not only for its own sake, but for regional stability. We encourage both sides to maintain dialogue, the pace and scope of which is for the two countries to determine. In that context, we welcome the renewed engagement between India and Pakistan in recent years, including the potential economic benefits that that would bring. We hope that both sides will continue to take further steps to help the growth of both countries’ economies’.  He added, ‘We agree with [the Indian Prime Minister] Mr Narendra Modi that any meaningful bilateral dialogue necessarily requires an environment that is free from terrorism and violence’.

Labour MP Barry Gardiner echoed the British government stand and compared the discussion to the ongoing debate around Scotland's independence from the United Kingdom. "This is almost akin to the Lok Sabha debating the merits and de-merits of Scottish independence," he said.  He went on to remind everyone that ‘More than 20,000 people have already been killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, and it is no use hon. Members here in this Chamber of all places condemning the radicalisation of young Muslim men in their own constituencies, while ignoring the fact that those young men are trained in the terror camps that are operating on the Pakistan border with Jammu and Kashmir. Those who continue to argue to undermine the legitimate sovereignty of India might do better to reflect that the people of India live in a relatively transparent and well-functioning democracy where the economy is growing’.

Congratulations to our achievers of the month!

GCSE results are out and our KP children
have made us proud yet again!

Twin brothers, Vatsal Raina and Vyas Raina secured distinction grades with 12 A* (Vatsal) and 11A* both securing highest markes in the UK in 3 subjects each. Well done both of you!!

"The true happiness for a parent stems from the realisation that the children have surpassed them in their achievements. I walk a bit taller today on cloud nine as our twin sons have done us proud with their GCSE results. From singing 'Twinkle Twinkle little star' as a toddler to bringing 23 A* at GCSE as strapping young men, I am once again humbled by the kindness bestowed by God. Anyone out there who has twins would agree that twins bring twin pleasures!"
- Anita Sharma Raina, proud mother of the twins.

Tejas Kotwal, features on our website yet again with his 12 A* and 2 As. 

Very well done Tejas!! 

Prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
for KP Boy

"Feel humbled after receiving the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for theatre direction today at Agartala from His Excellency Governor of Tripura ................I express my gratitude to my Gurus and Teachers.This award is yours, not mine. I just implemented what you taught me." 

- Asheish Nijhawan, recipient of the prestigious award

Kotwals scale the heights of Mount Snowden, Wales

   

Well done to Kotwal family for having climbed up Mt. Snowden. Dr. Chandan Kotwal, Dr. Shafalica Bhan Kotwal and their sons Tejas and Tanishq succesfully completed the treacherous walk up Mt. Snowden in Wales.

"It's conquering one's doubts and focussing on our innate strength, that's the key challenge", says a proud Chandan Kotwal having completed the climb with his family. 

The Kashmir Debate

Today has been a rather interesting day for all Londoners! A hot debate on one of the leading media channels here - BBC Asian Network where the Kashmir issue was discussed. The presenter - Nihal asked these questions on the show: 

"Can India and Pakistan ever come to an agreement over Kashmir?" 

"Can this issue ever be resolved?" 

"What would you like to see happen?" 

"What is the best solution to bringing peace in the region?"


Click here to listen the debate. Well done to Krishna Bhan, Sanjay Jagatiya, Vinod Tikoo, Kapil Dhar, Devki Nandan Dhar, Anisha Safaya and Akash Kaul for contributing to the debate in the programme. 

Excerpts will shortly be available on our youtube channel - watch this space and let us know your thoughts on this very pertinent debate. Opening this forum for discussion. This isn't just a regional issue, this is a humanitarian debate! So speak up NOW.

PEOPLE SPEAK:

"India is a secular county so questions of minority or majority holds no ground. Kashmir is home of thousands of Hindu families and they were forced to flee. Given an option of leave or die with no support from government, the only safer option was to leave, secure females and our lives. Not that it's hidden from the world how brutally were Hindus murdered. Exile has to end one day and people must go back home."

- Anisha Safaya


"Speaking from the perspective of a Kashmiri pandit who was forced to flee from Kashmir; all this talk about minorities like Sikhs being safe in Kashmir is rubbish. Kashmiri pandits were mercilessly killed and their dismembered bodies thrown on streets. The azaan every morning urged the pandits to leave. Properties were looted after Friday prayers- temples desecrated. No- Kashmiri Pandits were not safe to continue living. The choice was to leave, to die or to convert. Yes, they chose to leave – but have in no way given up claim to their motherland."

- Anupama Handoo

"Kashmir is a part of India and will remain so. The communal color that Pak introduced into the Indian state is highly unacceptable. J&K was a Hindu major state, and muslims have forcibly driven Hindus out, and effected rape, conversions and threat on the non muslims. We all know every Islamic country in the world has been truly bad in terms of Human Rights for other religious minorities, and even majorities, except for Turkey. Does one need to name Iraq? We Indians are secular, and will remain secular. However, just because a smaller chunk of Sunnis want to move to Pak, they alone can't decide the fate of the rest of the substantial Hindus, Shias, Sikhs, Buddhists. Terrorism was introduced by Pakistan in J&K state with double speak and denial in the international media. Inspite of it, India extended a warm hand to solve the issues, and Pakistan keeps double dealing still. No negotiations on that front at all, unless it mends it ways and walks the talk!!!"

- Sai Venu Gopal

"I have many muslim friends (kashmiri Muslims) who are serving in Indian army.... There are more than 20,000 kashmiri muslims working for Indian army and ready to die for India..... I don't hate Muslims, I hate fanatics among them....I hate when fanatics are allowed to decide fate of state by terming their Jihadi aspirations as human rights.....Sopore town has more than 15,000 kashmiri muslim population of retired personal of India army......"

"My house was burnt by my muslim neighbours n I had to flee along with my family in middle of cold November night in 1989, I was 5 years old....I would call it god's grace we managed to flee somehow....the point world needs to realise is majority of kashmiri muslims are settlers from central Asia, even so called hurriyat leader Sued Geelani came from central Asian province of Geelan n the ethnic kashmiri Muslims were converted under shadow of sword.....if the non ethnic population can decide future of state on basis of numbers, I wonder what will happen if people living in Birmingham demand a separate state in 50 years on the basis of their numbers? You can't gift ancestral land of Kashmiri pandits n allow it to become another Jihadi factory threatening humanity of world under influence of Pakistan........"

- Deepak Koul