Massive decline of Kashmiri Pandits during 100 years

(Records, Census figures speak everything)

By Dr.Rajesh Bhat

If the records are to be relied upon, there has been a massive decline of Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir valley during the past 100 years!

In 1921, the population of Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir, as per the 1921 Jammu and Kashmir State Census was 55,052. (Source: “Kashmiri Pandits”, a Book written by Pt Anand Kaul in 1924). Out of this total population of Pandits, 21,635 were living in Srinagar, while as 33,417 were putting up in Mufassils. Male Kashmiri Pandits were more (30,944) in comparison to females(24.108). But this was considered as the most healthy sex ratio. Interestingly, only seven Kashmiri Pandits were gazette officers. That punctures the propaganda that Kashmiri Pandits were the elite or ruling class.

1931 and 1941 Censuses

In 1931, the Kashmiri Pandit population, like other communities had also increased. The total increase in number was, however,  only 8056. From 55052 in 1921 it had moved to 63108 in 1931.

According to the 1941 census, there were 78,800 Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir Valley. Source: (Evans, Alexander, “A departure from history: Kashmiri Pandits, 1990-2001”. Contemporary South Asia. 11 (1): 19–37).

Srinagar was part of Anantnag District

As per the 1941 Census, Kashmiri Pandits were distributed into two districts of Valley, the Baramulla district, where 12,919 Kashmiri Pandits out of 612,428 total used to live. The other district was Anantnag where they were 7.84 percent of the total population. Interestingly, during those days, Srinagar used to be a part of Anantnag district. Kashmir Valley had only two Districts—- Anantnag and Baramulla. Srinagar formed part of Anantnag and became a separate District only in 1951 A D.

1947:Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir

Scholar Christopher Snedden in his book “ Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris” states that the Pandits made up about 6 percent of the total Kashmir Valley’s population in 1947.

Chitralekha Zutshi in her book, Languages of Belonging: Islam, Regional Identity, and the Making of Kashmir (2004), states that by 1950, “population of Kashmiri Pandits declined to five per cent as many Pandits moved to other parts of India due to the uncompensated land redistribution policy, the unsettled nature of Kashmir’s accession to India and the threat of economic and social decline’’

1981 J&K Census

In the 1981 census, the Kashmir Division had 124,078 Kashmiri Pandits. (Source: Evans, Alexander (2002). “A departure from history: Kashmiri Pandits, 1990-2001”. Contemporary South Asia. 11 (1): 19–37).  This scholar estimates that by 1990, there would have been 160,000 to 170,000 Pandits living in Kashmir Valley, but following the 1989 insurgency, a “great majority of Pandits felt threatened’’ and left the Kashmir Valley for other parts of India. A large number of Kashmiri Pandit refugees moved to the Jammu Division of the erstwhile Princely State and some to the National Capital Region of India.

In 2011, Kashmir had only 3,400 Kashmiri Pandits

The population of Kashmiri Pandits has declined from an estimated 140,000 in the late 1980s to fewer than 3,400 in 2011 this represents a 98% drop in population. (Source: Essa, Assad, 2 August 2011, Kashmiri Pandits: Why we never fled Kashmir”. aljazeera.com). While revealing the figures of Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir in 2011, Aljazeera quoted prominent Kashmiri Pandit leader, Sanjay Tickoo, who had not migrated in 1990.

Such a huge decline in the population of Kashmiri Pandits is often and rightly described as a case of ethnic cleansing. On the sharp decline of the Pandit population, Alexander Evans wonders what kind of society Kashmir becomes in the absence of this already small minority.

During the past over a decade, the Government of India has tried many ways to make the situation conducive for the return of Kashmiri Pandits. A scheme under the Prime Minister Employment Package was also introduced but the return of the community, now scattered, has not fully taken place.

2022 Rajya Sabha Statement

In July 2022, Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, told the Rajya Sabha that there are just 6,514 Kashmiri Pandits living in the Kashmir valley. The highest number of Pandits (2,639) live in the Kulgam district.

In continuation of their ethnic cleansing that systematically began during the past century, 12 more Kashmiri Pandits were killed by terrorists in Kashmir in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Instead of an increase in population during the past 100 years (from 55,052 in 1921), the Kashmiri Pandit community living in Kashmir has been reduced to just 6,514 in 2022! Isn’t it an act of ethnic cleansing?

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