"Who's stopping them from coming here?": Farooq Abdullah on Kashmiri Pandits' protest on 'Exodus Day'

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 19 (ANI): As Kashmiri Pandits held protests as they observed 'Exodus Day', Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that nobody has stopped Kashmiri Pandits from returning to the valley, adding that many from their community are still living comfortably in the region.
Speaking to reporters, Farooq Abdullah said, "Who's stopping them from coming here? Nobody. They can come here and live comfortably. Many Pandits live here. When others left, they didn't leave."
On Kashmiri Pandits demanding a rehabilitation policy, Abdullah said, "In my tenure, I had promised that we would build houses for them, but then we lost power. Now Delhi (Union government) has to look at this."
Kashmiri Pandits observe January 19 as the 'Holocaust Remembrance Day/Exodus Day' to mark their mass exodus from the Valley in 1990 when Pakistan-backed radicals threatened the minority community, forcing them to flee.
On AR Rahman's statement about Bollywood, the NC chief said, "In our India, the fire of hatred has been ignited for the past few years. Hindus and Muslims are being divided to win elections."
The controversy began when Rahman, in an interview with BBC Asian Network, said that work from the Hindi film industry had slowed down for him in recent years and linked this to changes in the industry over the past eight years. After that interview, reactions came from both fans and film personalities.
Later, Music maestro AR Rahman took to his Instagram account to share a video message. In the clip, he did not directly address the controversy but spoke about his bond with India, music, and culture.
"Dear friends, music has always been my way of connecting, celebrating, and honouring a culture. India is my inspiration, my teacher, and my home. I understand that intentions can sometimes be misunderstood, but my purpose has always been to uplift, honour, and serve through music," Rahman said.
"I have never wished to cause pain, and I hope my sincerity is felt. I feel blessed to be Indian, which enables me to create a space that always allows freedom of expression and celebrates multicultural voices," he added. (ANI)