Issued Monday 15 December 2025
FOREWARD with Bullet point historical facts for the MP’s
The main purpose of this document is to express our grave concerns over the debate that was held in a room at the Westminster Hall in the UK Parliament on Wednesday 10 December 2025 on the Kashmir issue. The debate in question had been secured by Mr Imran Hussain MP, a Member of Parliament for Bradford East, on behalf of the Jammu Kashmir Self Determination Movement.
However, Hindu Council UK believe, regrettably, that some misguided Members of Parliament supported this debate, and it is for this reason that we have issued this Briefing Document in order to give the viewpoint of the Kashmiri Pandit/Hindu Community diaspora in the UK. We sincerely hope that you will take time to read this document in order to be fully informed of facts and not of false narratives.
Perhaps Mr. Imran Hussain MP and those who had engaged in the debate should familiarise themselves with the following facts in relation to Jammu and Kashmir:
- Kashmir was named after the land was made habitable by Rishi Kashyap from prehistoric times and Hindus made the land the fountain head of spirituality with the highest concentration of Pandits (learned people in the vast Hindu scripture and its practice)
- The valley was peaceful until the Mughal era of the 16th Century of Mughal king Aurangzeb rule marking the beginning of forced conversions and women abductions
- The Kashmiri Pandits sought the help of the great Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur ji who sacrificed himself against forced conversions for which Aurangzeb beheaded our beloved and revered Guru ji.
- 1947 (Partition and Accession): Following the partition of India, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, which legally incorporated Jammu and Kashmir into India.
- Simla Agreement (1972): India and Pakistan agreed to resolve all disputes, including Kashmir, bilaterally, affirming that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
- Lahore Declaration (1999): The Indian Prime Minister and Pakistani President committed to peaceful bilateral negotiations to resolve Kashmir’s status.
- Late 1980s–Early 1990s (Kashmir Insurgency): Following the rise of Islamic militancy in Kashmir, particularly from the late 1980s, Kashmiri Pandits faced violent persecution, including forced conversions, killings, and the destruction of their homes and temples.
- January 19, 1990: The largest exodus of Kashmiri Hindus occurred, with tens of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits fleeing their homeland due to threats and violence from Islamic militants. This marked the beginning of their displacement, which continues to this day.
- 1989–1990 Exodus: The persecution, including targeted killings, forced conversions, and ethnic cleansing by militant groups, led to the forced migration of over 70,000 Kashmiri Pandit families, along with 18,000 Sikh families.
- 1990s Onwards: Pakistan’s involvement in supporting cross-border terrorism aimed at destabilizing Kashmir continued, with frequent infiltrations by militants into the region, including the training of terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
- April 22, 2025: A terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists, including 24 Hindus, 1 Christian, and 1 Muslim, highlighting the continued violence in the region fuelled by terrorism. The terrorists asked the religion of victims before shooting them.
- August 5, 2019: The Government of India revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and Article 35A, which allowed the region’s legislature to define permanent residents and grant them special rights.
- Post-Revocation Developments: Following the abrogation, Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory, and significant developments were made in areas like health, education, and tourism, leading to positive economic changes.
- Operation Sindoor was conducted following the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack against terrorists based in PoK and some parts of Pakistan, it was a targeted and disciplined countermeasure. A further cleaning measure revealed at the line of Control of various tunnels being used for insurgency into India, which Operation Sindoor managed to close.
We were pleased to hear Barry Gardner MP’s deliberations in the de0bate on the idea of ‘Self-Determination in PoK under the link:
https://www.barrygardiner.com/westminster-hall-debates
It is a widely recognised fact and clearly recorded internationally that infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir are aided and abetted by Pakistan, including through the use of cover fire and other military actions on the border. The Pakistan sponsored terrorists attacks in Jammu and Kashmir have continued since 1997 and the recent Pahalgam attack in April 2025 was an attack on humanity. The brutal killings of the innocent 26 Indians tourists ,24 Hindus,1 Christian and 1 local Muslim pony owner , took place on 22 April, 2025 in Phalagam, the holiday resort in the Valley of Kashmir. For the last 9 to 12 months the terrorists have been infiltrating into the Indian Kashmir, receiving training in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Pakistan has instigated 4 wars with India since 1947. It is necessary that no encouragement should be given to the proponents of terrorism and Jihadi elements which are being sent into India to create mayhem. It has been widely reported in the international media that some extremist groups have support and links with sympathetic supporters from the British Pakistani communities settled in the UK.
Since the abrogation of the discriminatory Articles 370 and 35A against Hindus, Women and Dalits but with an Islamist ideology, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has flourished and developed in a positive manner. There is a marked development in many areas such as health, education, tourism, bringing the region much needed economic stability. These developments demonstrate the Indian Government’s commitment for the welfare of all the people and the larger socio-economic development of the region. The peaceful democratic process in the state of Jammu and Kashmir contrasts with the situation across the border in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, PoK.
THE EXODUS BACKGROUND:
Nearly 36 years ago, on 19th January 1990, the biggest ever exodus of people happened in India. The minority Hindus of Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits/ Hindus, fled the valley, leaving behind their homes and homeland to save themselves from persecution at the behest of Islamic extremists/terrorists. Tens of Thousands of Kashmiri Pandits/Hindus were displaced due to Muslim militancy in Kashmir Valley. After the massacre, the local Hindu temples were destroyed, as were the houses of the Kashmiri Pandits. Every year since that day, Kashmiri Pandits dream of being able to go back to their homes one day.
In these 36 years of exile, the culprits responsible for the killing and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits/Hindus haven’t been brought to book. The several complaints are pending in the J&K courts related to encroachment of Pandit properties.
The main purpose of terrorism in Kashmir was to create a real Islamic valley in character. The minority Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the valley to create such homogeneity. They were looted, burnt alive and raped. If the majority Muslim community of the valley had not supported the insurgency, there probably wouldn’t have been any exodus of the minority community. It was a planned ethnic cleansing/genocide of Kashmiri Pandits/Hindus, one of the most peaceful community .
What has changed for the exiled Kashmiris in these 36 years? Have those responsible for making Kashmiri Pandits homeless been prosecuted in these years? Are the killers of minority Hindus punished for their barbaric acts? It is ironic that there has not been a single judicial inquiry about the exodus and killings of Kashmiri Pandits. It has been over 36 years now and there are still no answers — answers about the exodus, the killings, the human rights violations, the justice and the return (back to Kashmir valley on their own terms). “The valley of gods” from the time of Rishi Kashyap has turned into “The valley of terrorism”. The peaceful sound of Azaan turned to the sound of terrorists bombs. We urge people from all communities & religion to come and unite for the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits in valley.
The Kashmir issue has been given undue prominence in the western media over recent years. Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) is an integral part of India and whatever happens in the UT is an entirely domestic matter of India. In 1947 Maharaja Hari Singh and Lord Mountbatten, then Governor General of India had co-signed the Instrument of Accession by which Jammu and Kashmir State formally acceded to India.
The subsequent Shimla Agreement in 1972 and the Lahore Declaration 1999 signed by the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan reaffirmed that both countries will settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations and through their commitment to find a peaceful resolution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
The year 2026 will mark the 36th year since minorities in the beautiful Kashmir Valley were driven out by Islamic fundamentalists. What was mostly a forced exodus of Kashmiri Pandits/Hindus and Sikhs has turned into the ethnic cleansing of over 70,000 Hindu families and over 18,000 Sikh families who lost their homes with some of them still living as refugees in the camps in Jammu. has the world community ever thought of their Human Rights?
The information about the alleged excesses by the Indian Security forces has been floated all over the world. However, it is evident that all the alleged stories of atrocities have been well planted to defame India and its’ Security Forces who are trying to maintain law and order and safeguard lives.
There are pockets of large Muslim population areas in different parts of India and also in other countries of the world. It is time the world community takes this point into consideration before the politicians use words like “Self Determination” in a casual manner. The Indian citizens were not given the right of self-determination during partition of the country in 1947. Surely, no politician in a right frame of mind will ever recommend a right of self-determination in every part of the world; as the whole world will be thrown into chaos and turmoil. Religious fundamentalism is a danger to all the secular inclusive democracies of the world and India is secular because of its Hindu population, the Hindutva the Essence of Hinduism which ‘includes’ all whatever their religion.
CONCLUSION:
INDIA is a sovereign country and has absolute RIGHT and AUTHORITY to take any DECISION in the interest of the Nation by the legitimately elected Government, in place and no third country has any right to intervene in the internal affairs of India, as Kashmir is an integral part, and shall remain integral part of India. Under the VEIL of human rights violations in Kashmir no other government should allow any kind of debate in their respective Parliaments to influence their policy, although democracy tenets must be respected always, but it is wrong to inflame ideologies that work against democracy and Barry Gardner MP made those points admirably in the link shown above.
The Government of India and the authorities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have taken actions fully in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Indian constitution which has the protection of human rights firmly enshrined. Jammu and Kashmir has been a target of Pakistan sponsored terrorism for several decades and terrorists have been responsible for serious human rights violations witnessed by the world. The Indian Government has sought to maintain transparency in the Union Territory. International and the Indian media personnel, Foreign Diplomats, the International Committee of the Red Cross, all have had free access to Jammu and Kashmir. The National Human Rights Commission of India and the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission are performing a stellar role in taking cognizance of and enquiring into allegations of any human rights violations by security forces and initiating punitive action where appropriate and necessary to do so.
India and the UK have taken steps to enhance their trade relationship. Recent months have seen the visits by the Prime Minister of India and the other Indian officials, these positive trends in Indian-UK relations should be encouraged and nurtured rather than be allowed to be adversely affected by misrepresentation of facts about the situation in India.
For further information please contact:
Krishna Bhan
President of Indo- European Kashmir Forum (IEKF) & Chair of Hindu Council UK (HCUK)
Tel: +44788643950
Email: indoeuropeankashmirfourm@gmail.com & chair@hinducounciluk.org
Some of the Islamists Terrorist Attacks FYI:
1997: Sangrqmpora village
1998 Jan., Wandhama Village 23 Hindus killed
1998 Jan. Prankote village
2000:Chattisinghpura and Red Fort in Delhi attacked
2001 Kishtwar and Kot Charnal and Indian Parliament attacked
2002 Kaluchak and Ragunath Mandir in Jammu attacked
2023 March 2023 Nadimarg 24 Hindus killed
2004 Jan Jammu Railway station attacked
2005 Oct. 3 serial bombings in Delhi
2006 Doda
2008 Jan CRPcamp in UP attacked
2008 Mumbai attack by terrorists
2016 Jan Pathankot air force station attacked
2016 June Pampore attack
2016 Sep 2016 Uri Indian Army camp attacked
2016 Oct. Handwara RP Camp attack
2016 Nov. Nagrota Army base attack
2017 July Amarnath Yatra attack
2019 Feb Pulwama attack on CRPF convoy
2019April killing of Kishtwar RSSworker
2019 Kulgam attack
2023 April Poonch and Rajouri attack
2024 June Reasi attack
2025 April Pahalgam attack
2025 Nov car bomb attack Red Fort Delhi