On the 30th anniversary of the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that the Centre is committed to ensuring the return of the community to their homeland.
"The injustices meted out to our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters, the dent on their pride can never be forgotten. We also cannot wipe away the pain of becoming refugees in their own country, but we (Kashmir Pandits) will be back (to the motherland), is a promise of our government and it will be fulfilled," Chouhan's tweet, roughly translated in English from Hindi, read.
In another tweet, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister urged everyone to come together to "add to the beauty of paradise on earth, Kashmir" and to return the homes and rights of Kashmiri Pandits to them.
Earlier, he remembered the forced eviction of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley and termed it a "black day" when the members of the community "became refugees in their own country".
January 19, is remembered as the 'Exodus Day' by the Kashmiri Pandits as it marks the exodus of the members of the community from the Valley in the wake of an outbreak of terrorism.
Around 5 lakh Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the Valley after January 19, 1990, as they were a target of extremist attacks.
Chouhan further termed it a "black day" and said they will be penned in "black letters in Indian history".
"30 years back on this very day lakhs of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters were forced to leave their homes and live as homeless people. This is the black day on which these innocent and simple people became refugees in their own country and there was no one to wipe away their tears," Chouhan's tweet read.
"We are ashamed for the atrocities on our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters. We cannot feel the torture which they have felt living in their own homes and country. Those days will be written in dark letters in India's history," another tweet by him read.
( With inputs from ANI )