US senator moots separate homeland for Kashmiri Pandits
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Washington, Jan 4: Democratic US Senator Tim Johnson has urged Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to create ``a self-governing Union Territory, Panun Kashmir'', for Pandits in the Valley to protect their unique culture and heritage from disappearing.

In a letter to Vajpayee, Johnson said...``It is clear to everyone, including your government, that the small community of Pandits, which has been dispersed and scattered throughout the length and breadth of India for over a decade now, has no chance to survive as a unique ethnic unit unless they are provided an area where they can practice their own way of life, language, religion and culture."

In his letter, a copy of which was released to the media by Dr Jagan Kaul, senior vice president of the Indo-American Kashmir forum, Johnson called for expeditious steps, including creating a `home territory', to save the Pandits.

``If Indian authorities do not take quick measures towards providing a safe and secure area for the homeless Kashmiri Pandits, they will in allprobability exist only as a footnote to India's otherwise culturally rich and diverse history. Welcoming Johnson's support, Kaul said the present policy of "appeasement, vacillation, political expediency" towards Pandits is dangerous and demanded that a separate homeland be provided for them.

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