Jammu, Apr 27: Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh Saturday stated that BJP rank and file had stood like a rock to stop migration from Doda, after terror incidents there and the party workers also sacrificed lives for the purpose.
He was addressing the gathering on the occasion of a book release function at the party office. The book ‘Untold story of terrorism and proxy war in Jammu’, was penned by Prof Kulbhushan Mohtra, state incharge Library & Documentation Department, J&K BJP. Dr Singh, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina and other party leaders released the book.
“During mass-exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir, terror incidents in Doda and other places in Jammu region created apprehensions of similar large-scale migrations from these places as well. However, in Doda, all-out efforts were made to stop or discourage such migrations. In that context, BJP made a significant contribution. With its leaders like Daya Krishan Kotwal and others, the party (rank and file) stood like a rock to stop migration,” he said.
The Union Minister said that for this purpose, several BJP workers even sacrificed their lives. “There was another reason as well. Doda region in Jammu, traditionally, has been an embodiment of intrinsic communal harmony in J&K. This (communal harmony) has been there in Kashmir also, referred to as Kashmiriyat. But in Doda, conventionally, Hindus and Muslims used to cohabit celebrating their festivals and sharing trials and tribulations of life together,” Dr Jitendra said. At this point, he also recalled an incident to substantiate his point vis-a-vis communal harmony in Kashmir, Doda and other places of J&K.
“During turbulent period, Bansi Parimoo, a great artist of Kashmir, who had made the first portrait of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, first Prime Minister of the country, too had migrated out of Kashmir. He used to be my patient. Later he along with his family migrated to Delhi. After his demise there, when we went for condolences, his wife stated – ‘I was distraught (after his demise) yet yesterday one of our Muslim neighbours came and consoled me the way- we used to share hours of grief in our Kashmir.’ That was a poignant moment,” Dr Jitendra recalled.