Targeted Killings in Kashmir: 'Unable To Leave Due to Our Kids' Schooling'

'Schools have refused to give transfer certificates to kids and have refused to switch to online mode of education.'

Many Kashmiri Pandits have not been able to leave the valley because of the schooling of their children

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

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Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Prajjwal Kumar
Illustrator: Chetan Bhakuni

The targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits have led to many of us leaving the Valley as over eight incidents have been reported in over a month. But many of us have not been able to leave Kashmir.

The main reason is, in some colonies, including Sheikhpura, the government is not letting us go. They have placed barricades and ask us if we are trying to leave. Some people who live outside the Kashmiri Pandit colonies have managed to leave because when they were questioned by security forces, they cited some important personal reasons.

Kashmiri Pandits say the government is not allowing them to leave the Valley.

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

Schooling of Our Children at Stake

In these challenging times, our children are also having problems. We went to meet the principals of the schools. Earlier, they agreed for online classes. Today (7 June) my daughter had an online exam but then they changed it to offline. This is regarding the Kendriya Vidyalaya school. DPS and Air Force schools and others are also saying that they won't be able to switch to online mode since they don't have the permission to do it.

Kashmiri Pandits say schools are neither switching to online mode nor giving TCs to their kids.

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

"My daughter will be giving her class 10 board exams next year; we don't know how they are going to manage that. We are worried about it. It's about the future of our kids. But we aren't sending our kids to schools."

Life is most important for us and our children. We have asked schools for TCs (transfer certificates) but they said they can't give. We are desperately asking for TCs for class 10 kids because of the situation. You also know about it. There have been targeted killings in which anyone of us can be killed. We are giving community classes to our children. What can we do? They can't go outside.

Community classes being held for the children of Kashmiri Pandits.

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

'Transfer Us to Safer Places'

Kashmiri Pandits in the valley are demanding relocation to a 'safer' place in India.

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

We have been asking the government to send us on deputation to elsewhere where our kids will also settle in two-three years. Till then the situation will improve. Let me clearly say this: We don't want to leave Kashmir. We just want deputation for some time till the situation improves.

(The author of the story is a Kashmiri Pandit living in Kashmir.)

(My Report branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses, nor is responsible for the same.)