Kashmiri Pandits protest against incorporation of relief ration into food security law, call out conspiracy theories

Jammu: Internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits staged a sit-in protest in Jammu on Wednesday against the J&K government’s decision to include their relief rations in the National Food Security Act, calling the move a “conspiracy” to dilute their immigration status and violate their right to rehabilitation.Community members marched to the office of the Relief Commissioner in Jammu under a joint call from United Alliance of Kashmiri Displaced Communities, Panon Kashmir and other organizations representing Kashmiri Pandit migrants.“We urge the authorities to reconsider this decision with a pragmatic approach and address the genuine concerns of the community, otherwise they will fuel incitement,” one protester said.Shiv Sena (UBT) officials also joined the protests. “Immigration status is not a government dole but well-documented evidence of the atrocities and displacement faced by Kashmiri Pandits in the 1990s,” said Manish Sahni, the party’s J&K president.