The forgotten story of Batta Loot—how the July 13, 1931 disturbances in Kashmir led to widespread loot, arson and attacks on Kashmiri Pandits, as documented in G.S. Raghavan's rare book Warning of Kashmir and official government records.
Two rare handwritten letters preserved in the National Archives of India reveal how Kashmiri Hindu organisations appealed to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during the Quit Kashmir Movement of May 1946, expressing fears over the Valley's political future and requesting his immediate intervention.
The document poignantly captures the experiences of Kashmiri Pandits who were compelled to leave their homeland under oppressive regimes. These rulers, driven by religious fanaticism, sought to enforce conversions, leaving the Pandits with a stark choice: abandon their faith or flee their beloved valley.
Besant’s letter warned that without swift action, missionaries could seize the opportunity to establish their own college, steering Kashmiri youth away from their cultural...