JAMMU, February 19, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday reaffirmed that the return of the Kashmiri Pandit community to the Valley with full dignity and security is a solemn commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the release of the book Kashmir – Nativity Regained by Prof. Ashok Kaul, the Lieutenant Governor said the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir attempted to bury the truth, but those who unleashed violence and their support networks will neither be forgiven nor forgotten.
LG Sinha highlighted the profound transformation witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, stating that adversarial designs to derail the region’s future have been decisively dismantled. He said sustained efforts have restored the land’s ancient glory, accelerated development, and put the Union Territory firmly on the path towards becoming completely free from terrorism.
Reflecting on the Kashmiri Pandit exodus, the Lieutenant Governor said the book vividly captures the terror of the dark period and the enduring pain of displacement from ancestral homes. He paid tribute to the resilience of the Kashmiri Pandit community, noting that despite immense suffering, they preserved their philosophy, spirituality, culture, language, and traditions, and emerged stronger through perseverance.
LG Sinha also referred to the launch of the Kashmiri Migrant Web Portal in 2021, aimed at recovering encroached properties belonging to displaced Kashmiri Pandits. He described displacement from one’s own homeland as among the gravest human tragedies and said such agony had deeply scarred countless families.
Recalling the massacres of 1989–90, he said the pain of forced migration remains undiminished even today. Urging the youth to remember the atrocities committed by terrorists, he said Pakistan-backed terrorism had also claimed the lives of thousands of innocent Kashmiri Muslims, with many stories too painful to recount. He added that justice has begun reaching affected families, along with efforts to address employment and rehabilitation needs.
The Lieutenant Governor concluded by saying that the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 rekindled hope among younger generations of Kashmiri Pandits, enabling them to reclaim their roots without fear.
