In RS Sitharaman pins Kashmiri Pandit killings on Farooq-Cong govt

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday rebutted the Opposition's charge that the Bharatiya Janata Party too shared the responsibility for the failure to check the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 as it was supporting the then V P Singh-led government at the Centre.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha, the minister said that terror killings were being carried out in Kashmir before 1990 when the National Conference was in power in J-K in alliance with the Congress, and recalled the then governor Jagmohan's warning about dark clouds of terror overpowering the Valley.

She listed out "seven major events" or killings of Hindus by terrorists in 1989 along with the related FIR numbers.

The minister was replying to a discussion on Budget 2022-23 for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) in the Rajya Sabha. The House later returned the relevant bills, completing the process of passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Budget which the Lok Sabha had approved on March 14.

During the discussion, the Congress party had accused the BJP of supporting the V P Singh-led government at the Centre in 1990 when Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the Valley after they were targeted by terrorists.

"I just want to put the facts on record. The National Conference government with the support of the Indian National Congress was in power in J&K from November 1986 to January 18, 1990. 

”And Governor Jagmohan reached J&K (on January 20, 1990) after the resignation of the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah....20th January 1990 is when the governor reaches Srinagar," the minister said.

"...whatever happened in 1990, we all know we listed out and we are all seeing it also. 

”But what happened in 1989 when this (Farooq Abdullah) government was still in place, November 1986 onwards till 18 January, 1990. I will take just the example of 1989 when that government of National Conference and Indian National Congress was still there, "Sitharaman said.

She listed out "seven major events" or killings of Hindus by terrorists in 1989 along with the related FIR numbers.

The finance minister also told the opposition that Governor Jagmohan (in his first tenure) in July 1989 had warned the then state government regarding the danger of terrorism.

"Is it not true that even Jagmohan Ji, in his first phase of being governor when he was asked to leave in July 1989, didn't he warn authorities at that time itself that the dark cloud of terrorists are really overpowering J&K, and necessary steps have to be taken by the state government," the minister said.

While she was referring to the killings of 1989, certain opposition members asked her to focus her reply on the Budget. To this Sitharaman said even the speeches of opposition members too were focused on Kashmir Files (movie) and not on the Budget, therefore, she has every right to reply on all issues.

The minister also told the House that after the abrogation of Article 370, terror activities have significantly declined, and development works are happening in the Union territory.

After the removal of Article 370, the Union territories of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir, were carved out from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.