Below we reproduce the verbatim address of Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami whilst addressing a press conference in Srinagar. He was referring to the venom being spread in the guise of a film-‘Kashmir Files’, released recently. Some of the words he used are in Urdu which continues to remain in the text, however with an English translation.

APPEAL of the first Kashmiri who was displaced: Now stop it; everyone who died was a Kashmiri, stop dividing people’s tears and cashing on their tragedies.

(This is the appeal of Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami. Tarigami was the first Kashmiri to be forced out of the valley by separatists in 1989. Tarigami, who first fought for the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits; also lost half a dozen of his family members, including his father-in-law and nephew, and saw the martyrdom of the relatives. Tarigami has been a four-time MLA and a member of the Central Committee of the CPI(M)).

As far as this film is concerned, in my view the need of the hour was to explain the situation here, the tragedies here and whatever happened till today, all the tragedies that have happened here, they should be presented objectively keeping in mind the maurujihaqayaq (traditional truths). It doesn't look like that. It is our misfortune that Kashmir has been passing through tragic situations for the last several decades. And the most almanac (tragic) incident, due to which Kashmiri identity been damaged, is migration. The compulsion to leave home out of fear... a significant section of our society had to leave the valley out of fear; they were the Kashmiri Pandits.

This is the tragic chapter of our history, there is no doubt about it. But at the same time, the truth is also that the forces that were behind tashaddud (violence) did not see who belonged to which religion, community, or what faith they followed. They killed TikhlaTaplu, they also killed Lassa Kaul and Mohammad Shaban Vakil. In another tragic incident, they did not even spare elderly scholar Maulana Masoodi, who was on his death bed.  Mirwaiz Kashmir Maulana Farooq was killed by whose bullet? And after that, dozens of common people of the town who were participating in his funeral procession were gunned down. What was their fault? This is another side of the picture.

While the general manager of HMT, Kherasaheb was targeted, the vice-chancellor of Kashmir University MushirulHaqsaheb and his private secretary, Abdul Ghani Saheb were also not spared. Is it not true that many common people, who had nothing to do with politics, the anasir (uninfluential) were also targeted. One of our sisters named Sheetal Kaul, who belonged to Srinagar, was brutally murdered. Premnath Bhatt saheb was murdered in Anantnag, where Ghulam Nabi Kwalarsaheb was also targeted.

I have only one question today; from those quvvats (those in power), who are selling Khoon-e-Kashmir (Blood of kashmir) in different markets... Just stop this; who killed, who was killed, whoever died was my relative, my loved one died, my elder died. What was his name, which akida (group) did he belong to? He was a Kashmiri!  And, today I would like to repeat this again, while the tragic incident of Wandhama came to the fore, Gawkadal incident also cannot be forgotten. In Budgam some innocent brothers and sisters belonging to our minority community were killed, there was another incident in which a bus that was coming to Kupwara was fired at. Who killed the passengers of the bus? An innocent sister from Sopore was raped and murdered. She belonged to a Pandit household. At the same time, the incident of KunanPoshpora is also in front of us. Whose honour was robbed in the night?

Even today, I want the prime minister to show courage, like a commission was made after the apartheid in (South) Africa, the Commission of Truth and Reconciliation, the commission of atbariyat (restoration of trust), to know who died, and who killed them. Whoever died cannot be come back to life again but at least accountability should be fixed. Their kin should know who died, why they died.

Things are also being said about this and that political parties… I have a question; our legislature’s (state assembly) speaker, members, who belonged to National Conference, belonged to Congress, to PDP… Who killed them? Why did they die? They were mercilessly killed in such a large number. Why were they killed? Because they did not choose that path (path of the separatists). The first one who died a tragic death. Who was he? He was a karkoon (activist) of the National Conference of Srinagar, Mohammad Yusuf Halwai. Simply because when intahapasands (extremists) said that there should be a blackout on August 15, he protested. He was there. In which group would you include him today? Today, khoon-e-adam (human blood) is being used for the sake of politics. It is harmful for the country, harmful for the people, and harmful for Kashmir.

I want to reiterate today, I want to tell the baasar(influential) and ahleiqtidar (rulers) of the country that Kashmir is not just a piece of land. Kashmir is the name of a tehzeeb (way of life), it is the name of a civilisation. We have a history of five thousand years which cannot be erased - any power, from outside or from inside, cannot erase our identity, it cannot be erased. Our identity, our tehzeeb may seem intimidating but our tahffuz (preservation and conservation) cannot be eradicated.

I would like to remind you that in my own area where Kashmiri Pandits were killed, the incident of Bijbehara (another tragic incident) also happened, namazis (devouts) were killed. Where Hindus died, Muslims died;  my Sikh sister also died in Chittisinghpura, Sikh brothers died, and the tears that were in the eyes of the Sikh child, those were the tears of humanity which are shed when someone dies… I would tell the makers of the film (Kashmir Files), the ahleiqtidars (rulers), please tell me what is the colour of these tears? Please tell me in which market these tears are to be sold. Stop it.

I will say this, while my Ashok died in Kulgam, Hajan Yusuf also died, Bashir Ahmed also died and many others died. Who died? My loved ones died, I do not want to divide my relatives. I do not want to know my near and dear ones on the basis of whether they go to the temple or the mosque. Where I fought my election even though I had to go hungry…….

Journalist's question:

Sir would also like to know from you that you are the first Kashmiri who left Kashmir and went to Jammu and you were also attacked and you were the first who received Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu, tell me a little what is haqaiq (truth)?

Tarigami: This is what we want to say today; this is not the truth as projected in the film, and the truth cannot be seen with one eye. The use of both eyes abounds to see and judge the truth. I have said this earlier as well, the soul of Kashmir is crying for my brothers and sisters, Kashmiri Pandits, to return to their homeland with respect and safety. What else can be said.

In 1989, when I was not even a sarpanch (village head), forget about being an MLA, some people came and gheraoed the house. And I had to leave the house. I had to go to Jammu where I took shelter with a Kashmiri Pandit, who was an employee in the Secretariat. I was with him until the government gave me a place in Gandhi Nagar. Later when the governor's rule was imposed, I was also given security.

I am the first unfortunate person of Kashmir who had to see the helplessness of Kashmiri Pandits with his own eyes. I saw when they left their houses and came there (Jammu) and there was no sabil (path), there was no patience. No support, no place where they could get some relief. We had taken out a procession in front of the governor’s house and I had asked the governor to open the door, these people are Kashmiris, they are not beggars, they are not for begging. They have not come on any picnic. They have come out of fear, and they will not beg to you, they will demand their rights - to stay here with tahafuz(safety). I said this then, our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters know all about that.

What can I say, my relatives were killed. Ashok was also my relative, my humsaaya (comrade in arms). So many were killed; my father-in-law was killed. My nephew was unfortunately also killed. Speaker (of state assembly) Wali Mohammad Itoo was also killed. Ghulam Nabi Dar, who had been a member of the assembly, was also killed. Two, three MLAs who were here in Pulwama were killed. Ghulam Qadir, an MLA, was killed in Pulwama area. What should I say? Which account should I put them in?

I want to appeal to siyasijamats (political parties) of the country, especially to the rulers - BJP; hey sahib (sir), don’t collect or divide my tears, the tears of my loved ones, for the sake of votes. Everyone who died was mine, ours… Kashmir was at loss; the identity of Kashmir was at loss; Kashmir’s tehzeeb (way of life) was at loss. As long as we don’t come together and set our house in order.

And at the end, I would say this sorrow is neither yours nor mine, it is ours my dear. This sorrow belongs to Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Muslims, akhbaarnavees (editors), journalists, lawyers, common workers, common poor men, my sisters. Do not divide our tears.

Listof comrades who were killed during the period in Kashmir valley by the separatists.

Besides, seven persons were killed and dozens got injured when militants hurled agrenade at a  public meeting held on December 4, 1996 at Kulgam town soonafterelectionresultsweredeclared.Therallywasaddressedamongothersby

M YTarigami.

VeteranCommunistPartyofIndialeader,prominentwriterandpoetAbdulSatarRanjoorwaskilledinearly90sbymilitantsathishomeKeegam,Shopian.