Pandits find a global platform in GKPD

By Deepika Bhan

New Delhi, March 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), a civil society of Kashmiri Pandits, has been involved in reaching out to the lawmakers of several countries to educate them about the impact of terrorism in Kashmir and the genocide of the minority community.

GKPD founder Surinder Kaul has been actively pursuing this outreach programme to create awareness about the real situation in Kashmir. He has been meeting the US lawmakers while other members of the Diaspora have been interacting with those in the UK, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Canada.

For several decades, Pakistan has been viciously lobbying against India and propagating wrong information about the Kashmir issue. In such a scenario, efforts by bodies like GKPD go a long way in checking the nefarious propaganda of Pakistan.

"We have been meeting lawmakers and many times we have detected their lack of information about Kashmir," Kaul said.

In October last year, Kaul had met Senator Mark Warner, who is the co-chair of India Caucus.

"I informed him about the happenings in Kashmir, the geo-politics, impact of terrorism and what happened to Kashmiri Pandits. His response was that he wasn't aware of all these at all. He said he was wondering why the government of India was not talking about this community.

"To tell you frankly, I was taken aback a bit... Later I conveyed this to our Consulate General in Houston," Kaul said.

Kaul has also been interacting with other Democrats so as to help build a narrative based on true happenings. He has also been interacting with US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, and has informed him about the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits.

Another Congressman, Andy Barr, hosted 'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri and Pallavi Joshi at a reception in Capitol Hill in November 2021.

Kaul said, "Krishnamoorthi also attended the reception where he said that the Kashmiri Pandits were the most educated among the various communities in India."

"It was due to our constant outreach programmes that Barr organised the reception," Kaul added.

GKPD has also interacted with Bob Blackman, the UK Conservative MP from Harrow East, and other lawmakers.

The GKPD's outreach programmes are about creating awareness, not only about the impact of terrorism in Kashmir or India, but on communities around the globe.

"We need to talk about our plight. If we don't, then who will? The world has to be aware and then only steps could be taken to curb terrorism and bring justice to persecuted communities like Kashmiri Pandits."

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ ians.in)

Source: IANS