National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday expressed hope that the Kashmiri Pandit community would return to the Valley, calling their presence at the Mela Kheer Bhawani after the Pahalgam terror attack “a powerful message” to those trying to spread fear.
Speaking at the shrine in Ganderbal, Abdullah said the large turnout was a sign of divine will and urged people not to be afraid of recent violence or military operations. “This is Mata’s doing — she has called them home,” he said.
Abdullah appealed to devotees across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir, including Vaishno Devi and the upcoming Amarnath Yatra beginning July 3. “Fear is fading, and this unity is the answer to those who want to destroy harmony,” he added.
He described Kashmir as a land of saints and sufis, where brotherhood thrives, and said the Kheer Bhawani mela was a symbol of that shared heritage. He also welcomed the idea of providing land for Pandits’ return, recalling that his own government had earlier proposed housing for the community, but the situation then became unstable.
Now, he said, the time is ripe for their return. “We pray this mela becomes the beginning of their homecoming,” Abdullah said.(KINS)
