“The claims made by the Centre that 1678 Kashmiri Pandits have returned to Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 is misleading. Providing employment under the Prime Minister’s Development Package package does not amount to the return of Kashmiri Pandits. The package was started by the Dr Manmohan Singh-led government and during his tenure 3000 Pandits were provided employment. There are scores of employees of central government departments from Uttar Pradesh or Bihar in Kashmir. How can the Government say that those provided employment have returned to Kashmir,” Chairman, Reconciliation, Return & Rehabilitations of Migrants, (an organisation fighting for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits), Satish Mahaldar asked.He claimed that the Centre was making Kashmiri Pandits a “scapegoat”. “I am a Kashmiri Pandit based in New Delhi. Tell me what the government has done for us. Nothing has changed on the ground,” he said.He said the government talks about renovation of 50,000 temples in Kashmir. “Where are they (temples)? Who will pray when Pandits don’t live here?” he asked.
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