Roots in Kashmir, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit organization, has expressed strong reservations regarding the recent Interfaith Dialogue organized by the Anjuman Interfaith Dialogue Chapter. The group asserts that the event once again underscores the prevailing mindset in Kashmir—a mindset that, according to them, continues to marginalize and eliminate the presence of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir province and Hindus in Jammu & Kashmir.
Rahul Mahanoori, senior activist Roots in Kashmir, criticized the exclusion of key religious communities.
> “An interfaith dialogue in Kashmir without its aboriginal community—the Kashmiri Pandits—and without representation from the two major religious communities of J&K and Ladakh—Hindus and Buddhists—raises serious questions about the intent and credibility of the entire exercise,” Mahanoori stated.
Amit Raina, spokesperson for Roots in Kashmir, added:
> “The presence of political leaders known for their separatist ideologies reinforces our long-standing concern that forces in Kashmir are still actively working to erase the Kashmiri Pandit identity. The ethnic cleansing of our community is not just a historical fact—it is a continuing reality.”
Roots in Kashmir firmly believes that the so-called interfaith dialogue was not aimed at fostering genuine understanding or reconciliation across faiths. Instead, the group alleges that the true objective was to consolidate unity within Islamic factions, sidelining other communities.
> “The inclusion of figures like Mirwaiz and Waheed Parra only makes it clearer—the event was never about interfaith harmony, but about internal consolidation of Islamic factions under a single narrative,” Raina emphasized.
