Kashmiri Pandits Mark Balidan Diwas, Renew Genocide Recognition Demand

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits observed the 36th Balidan Diwas in Jammu on Monday, paying tribute to members of the community and security personnel who lost their lives to violence and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The commemoration was held to remember those killed during years of unrest and to highlight the community’s continuing concerns over displacement and security.

The observance brought attention to the historical suffering experienced by Kashmiri Pandits, many of whom were forced to leave the Valley amid escalating violence and militancy. Community members used the occasion to remember the victims and reiterate demands related to justice, recognition and the future rehabilitation of displaced families.

The community renewed its call for legal recognition of the violence against and displacement of Kashmiri Pandits as “genocide”. Supporters of the demand have argued that formal recognition is necessary to acknowledge the scale of the suffering and ensure that the experiences of victims remain part of the public and legal record.

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Alongside the recognition demand, Kashmiri Pandit representatives called for the establishment of a separate homeland in the Valley. They sought direct protection from the Union government for such a proposed settlement, presenting it as a measure intended to address long-standing concerns over safety, security and the community’s ability to return.

Balidan Diwas has become an important occasion for displaced Kashmiri Pandits to honour those who died during the period of violence. The annual observance also serves as a platform for raising issues involving displacement, rehabilitation, political representation and the protection of community interests.

The latest commemoration in Jammu therefore combined remembrance with renewed political and social demands. While paying homage to victims, the community again called for official recognition of its suffering and a secure, protected framework for its proposed return and resettlement in the Kashmir Valley.

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