Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has expressed concern over the registration of an FIR against Kashmiri Pandit activists protesting the implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in relation to relief and ration benefits for displaced migrant families.
In a statement issued here, Mehbooba said the concerns raised by the Kashmiri Pandit community stem from “genuine anxieties” regarding their distinct identity and status as displaced migrants, which, she noted, has been recognised by successive governments over the years.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that after decades of displacement, uncertainty and trauma, the community deserves empathy and meaningful engagement rather than criminalisation for expressing its fears and grievances.
Reacting to reports of police action against the protesters, the PDP president said the growing tendency to respond to dissent through FIRs and intimidation was deeply troubling and reflected an unhealthy approach towards democratic expression.
She said peaceful protests should not be treated as criminal acts, particularly when communities are voicing concerns linked to their survival, rehabilitation and legal safeguards.
Mehbooba noted that several Kashmiri Pandit organisations have opposed the move to bring migrant relief rations under the NFSA framework, fearing that it could dilute their separate migrant status and gradually weaken the special relief and rehabilitation mechanisms established for families displaced from the Valley during the 1990s.
“Many within the community view the move as an attempt to reduce a humanitarian and displacement-related entitlement into a routine welfare scheme,” she said.
Calling for a constructive approach, Mehbooba urged the administration to address the issue through dialogue and confidence-building measures instead of police action and legal intimidation.
“The pain and displacement suffered by Kashmiri Pandits is a reality that cannot be ignored. Any policy decision affecting them must be taken only after meaningful consultation with the community,” she said.
The PDP chief further stated that democratic governments must create space for citizens to express concerns peacefully and warned that the use of police action against every form of disagreement only deepens mistrust and alienation.
She urged the administration to withdraw the FIR and initiate a transparent dialogue with representatives of the Kashmiri Pandit community regarding their concerns over the NFSA framework.
