‘Kashmiri Muslims will regret exodus of Pandits’

Asserting that the majority community in Kashmir will one day regret the "exodus" of Kashmiri Pandits, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said Kashmir is incomplete without their presence.

Singh said that significant positive changes have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, and that deep down, common people, including Kashmir Muslims, are happy about it.

"Kashmir is no longer Kashmir without the presence of Kashmiri Pandits. The composite culture that Kashmir is already known for has been possible because of the presence of the Kashmiri Pandit community there," Singh said addressing a function here.

The minister, who inaugurated the Mata Saraswati Auditorium at the Gandhi Memorial College, said "I have no hesitation in saying this. Despite sounding orthodox or even rebellious, I have said that the day would come when the majority community in Kashmir would regret the exodus of Pandits. I believe this is going to happen soon." He said that the values of composite upbringing, once imparted to children, are now fading.