Three British Members of Parliament, Bob Blackman, Jim Shannon, and Virendra Sharma, have tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) to commemorate the 35th anniversary of what they describe as the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir. This motion was submitted on January 15, 2025, ahead of Exodus Day, observed on January 19, which marks the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 due to violence and persecution from militants.

The EDM expresses deep sadness over the coordinated attacks that occurred in January 1990 and calls for justice for the victims. It condemns the ongoing violence against Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and highlights the need for recognition of the atrocities committed against the Kashmiri Pandit community. The motion also urges the UK government to reaffirm its commitment to protecting the rights of these victims and to demand accountability from the Indian government regarding these historical events.

It called on the Indian government to enact the proposed "Panun Kashmir Genocide Crime Punishment and Atrocities Prevention Bill in the Indian Parliament" and urged the UK Government to commemorate 19 January as "Kashmiri Pandit Exodus Day."

"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; expresses 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," the motion read.

It further "vows to protect the rights of Hindus in the UK, including the right to demand justice; 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; is concerned that organisations supporting terror are thriving in the UK; notes that 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 fulfil its long-standing international commitment to recognise and acknowledge the genocide of Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir."

The MPs' actions reflect a broader push within the UK Parliament to acknowledge and address the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, emphasizing the need for international recognition of their suffering and urging measures to prevent such atrocities in the future.

ANI