Recently the democratically elected CM of Kashmir visited Mumbai along with his daughter Mehbooba Sayeed.

At the outset I feel like congratulating him for bringing back the democratic values of Jammu and Kashmir by coming to power with a thumping majority. People came out to vote. I, as a Kashmiri Pandit, would never have dreamt that people would come out to vote in such large numbers.

I also want to congratulate him for razing to the ground the Abdullah regime: a regime responsible for the cold–blooded murder of Kashmir, a family which had started treating J&K as its personal property. They never allowed elections to happen in a free and fair manner. A Kashmiri Pandit never voted; their votes were cast by Abdullah’s henchmen.

I attended all three meetings of the CM in Mumbai: one with the industrialists, the second with the press, and the third with people from Bollywood. I went to these meetings with an open mind, trying hard to forget that I have been hounded out of my house, my homeland, for no fault of mine by these very people.

The whole country kept mum as if all had become deaf and dumb. Kashmiri Pandits were tortured, gang–raped, killed and hanged. Nobody heard our screams. And the silence maintained by the so–called intellectuals, journalists during our persecution gave birth to the Gujarat massacre. Sad.

These pseudo–secularists visited Kashmir and then came back and started talking on behalf of the militants. It had become a fashion by then to talk about the killers rather then raising their voice in support of the victims. People like Kuldip Nayyar became a Rajya Sabha member by feeding mosambi juice to Yasin Malik and his counterparts whenever they went on a supposed hunger strike.

I also tried to forget that Mufti Sahab is the same person who is responsible for the confidence built–up of the terrorists in Kashmir when his daughter was supposedly kidnapped while Mufti Sahab was the Union home minister. It was a test case in which he failed miserably and released those dreaded terrorists in exchange for his daughter Rubaiya Sayeed.

How can a daughter of a home minister travel in a public transport minibus and get kidnapped the very same day? Mufti Sahab undermined the confidence of the security forces. The morale of the security forces crumbled like a pack of cards when the terrorists were released while the majority of the Kashmiri Muslim population came out on the streets and celebrated the release of the terrorists with fire–crackers.

In Mumbai, questions were posed to Mufti Sahab and his daughter who were accompanied by senior bureaucrats of the state, most of them good friends of mine. In the meeting with the industrialists, Mufti Sahab gave an open invitation to them to come and invest money in the Valley saying things are much better now.

One of the industrialists got up and asked: if the original inhabitants of Kashmir — the Kashmiri Pandits — are still feeling unsafe to go back, then how do you expect an outsider to invest money there?

Mufti Sahab fumbled. He was probably not expecting such a question. But he answered saying, "We are trying to get them back." Are we sheep and cattle that you will put us in trucks and dump us in the Valley for a complete ethnic cleansing? A Kashmiri Pandit will return now only on his own terms and conditions, with full dignity and honour.

In my view, the main problem that an industrialist who invests in the Valley would face, apart from terrorism, is lethargy, a non–existent work culture. People there are so used to easy money now that nobody is going to work for eight hours every day. Why have industries never grown in the Valley even before terrorism? It is only because of lethargy.

I remember one of my friends who had taken an initiative and started a small scale industry in the Valley long ago. He had to suffer a very big loss. In the name of namaaz, workers used to take off several times every day, while much of the time that remained was spent on lunch and tea–breaks.

In the meeting with people from Bollywood, similar questions were raised once again. Anupam Kher requested that the CM and his daughter visit the refugee camps of Kashmiri Pandits immediately after his return to the Valley. In fact, he should have gone there immediately after he came to power. Javed Akhtar said that for filmdom to return to Kashmir for shootings, the return of Kashmiri Pandits is a must because without Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmir is not complete.

To this, Mehboobaji reacted with a bit of an anger and said, "We have not come here with a begging bowl. If you have enjoyed good times then you should help us in bad times." At this point I felt like telling her that since it is politicians, not us who are responsible for the situation, it becomes their duty to solve the problem.

Mufti Sahab, if you and your daughter are serious about solving the Kashmir issue, please be prepared to listen to the truth. Try to develop the capacity to digest the reactions of the common man. What did you do immediately after coming to power? Release militants. What are you trying to prove? Start thinking about the people who are victims of terrorism instead of worrying about the terrorists. The people who put these questions before you are the very same people who have brought you to power.

During your Mumbai trip, believe me I definitely saw a ray of hope. Your eyes communicated seriousness, your walk depicted confidence. You meant business, demonstrating a serious inclination towards bringing about change in J&K. I know you are not a magician but if you are honest about bringing about change, change will happen, things will become better, and three–and–a–half lakh Kashmiri Pandits will definitely return to the Valley.

The Valley will again hear the voice of Lalded and Habba Khatoon together. Sir, fulfill our dream of returning to the Valley.

Ayis chhu tarun Kashmir Sarnaiy

Aaz pagga sul chir.

(We have to return to our homeland If not today then tomorrow). 
(The writer is a film–maker and official spokesperson of Panun Kashmir).