A British Member of Parliament (MP) has tabled a parliamentary motion to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the "genocide of Kashmiri Pandit Hindus from Jammu and Kashmir in India".
Conservative MP Bob Blackman reposted on his social media platform X: "January 19 marks the tragic day of the Kashmiri Pandit Exodus, when thousands of us were forced to flee our homeland. One must never forget the pain and loss of our community. The achievements of Kashmiri Pandits across all walks of life despite the immense adversities is a demonstration of our tremendous resilience."
Blackman, in the House of Commons, on Thursday tabled the Early Day Motion (EDM) on the issue, which dates back to January 1990.
An EDM is a method used by British MPs to draw Parliament's attention to a particular issue.
"That this House commemorates with deep sadness and disappointment the 35th anniversary of the coordinated attacks in January 1990 by cross-border Islamic terrorists and their supporters on the minority Hindu population of Kashmir valley," said the EDM.
The motion goes on to express its condolences to its British Hindu citizens, whose "friends and family were killed, raped, injured and who were displaced by force in this planned massacre; condemns the desecration of holy sites in Jammu and Kashmir; vows to protect the rights of Hindus in the UK, including the right to demand justice".
"(The House) is concerned that Kashmiri Hindu minority that fled persecution have still not seen justice or recognition of the atrocities committed against them in 35 years; deplores those sponsoring such cross-border terrorist attacks," the motion added.
It says the House is "concerned that organisations supporting terror are thriving in the UK; notes the international principle of responsibility to protect obliges individual States and the international community to take effective measures to prevent the commission of genocide and crimes against humanity as suffered by Kashmiri Hindus; urges the Government of India to fulfill its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the genocide of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir".
It further notes that "properties belonging to the minority Hindu community in Kashmir continue to be occupied; calls on the Government of India to enact the proposed Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill in the Indian Parliament, and further urges the UK government to commemorate January 19 as Kashmiri Pandit Exodus Day".
The EDM has no supporting signatures, with the first six MPs supporting the motion becoming its sponsors.
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