In June 1967, Srinagar witnessed a historic agitation by the Kashmiri Pandit community. Parmeshwari, a 17-year-old Kashmiri Pandit girl working as a cashier in the Government Co-operative Department, was ensnared in a sinister conspiracy. The detailed account is documented in “The Chronicles of Kashmir,” biography of Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi , by Kashmiri poet and author Balkrishan Sanyasi. The incidents extracted from the personal diary of Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, who led the agitation.
Orphaned at a young age, Parmeshwari lived with her widowed mother. She often found cash shortages at work, which a Muslim colleague discreetly covered, manipulating her trust. Eventually, he abducted her, hiding for days before secretly marrying her. When her mother filed a police complaint, authorities refused to act, prompting the Kashmiri Pandit community to launch a full-scale agitation.
The All-State Kashmiri Pandit Conference Yuvak Sabha at Sheetal Nath led the movement, with Pandit Shiv Narayan Fotedar and the Hindu Action Committee, under Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi, spearheading the protests. Leaders like Shri Amarnath Ganjoo, Shri Tika Lal Taploo, and RSS Swayamsevaks actively participated. For two months, daily Satyagrahas took place, led by Pandit S. N. Kachroo, Pandit Gopi Krishan Koul, Pandit Prem Nath Gasi, and Pandit Jagan Nath Kheibry. Large public gatherings at Sheetal Nath resonated with Pandit Vaishnavi’s rallying cry: “JAI KARA HAR HAR MAHADEV.”
The movement faced brutal repression—protesters were lathi-charged, arrested, and many lost their lives, including Sarva Shri Maharaj Krishen Razdan, A. K. Khushoo, Hriday Nath Mattoo, Lassa Koul Badami, and Gopi Nath Handoo. Shri Pushkarnath Vakil’s self-immolation attempt was foiled, and hundreds were injured.Journalist Pandit Jagan Nath Kheibry ensured national newspapers covered these human rights violations. The agitation was not just about Parmeshwari but a broader fight for Kashmiri Pandit rights.
Amid the turmoil, an iconic moment unfolded—Pandit Vaishnavi, moved by the suffering, soaked his turban in water from nearby houses to wipe the tear-gas-induced tears of the protesters.
National and Political Reactions
The agitation drew responses from national leaders. Prof. Balraj Madhok, President of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, visited Srinagar and warned anti-India elements to leave Kashmir if they did not wish to live under the Indian flag. His visit was soon followed by C. Rajeshwar Rao, a Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M), who met the Action Committee at Hotel Taj in Maisuma Bazar, facilitated by local Marxist leader Pandit Moti Lal Misri. However, the meeting ended in discord—Rajeshwar Rao dismissed the movement as communal, prompting an enraged Pandit Vaishnavi to challenge him, demanding he listen to the community’s grievances or leave.
Amid mounting pressure, Y. B. Chavan, India’s Home Minister, arrived in Kashmir, initiating talks with Kashmiri Pandit leaders, alongside Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq and D. P. Dhar. However, political manoeuvring led to a forced compromise, and under pressure, the Action Committee had no choice but to call off the agitation.
Sabotage That Spoiled the Show
Pandit Amarnath Vaishnavi detailed how the State Government misled the Centre while anti-Indian elements exploited the unrest, aided by the government itself.
On August 31, 1967, Chief Minister G.M. Sadiq addressed the State Assembly, downplaying the crisis yet admitting criticism from the majority community for alleged leniency. He acknowledged protests by the majority community on August 24 but issued veiled warnings against those “creating tension”—a clear reference to the Kashmiri Pandits.
Regarding the abducted girl, Sadiq dismissed concerns, citing ongoing court proceedings. However, the legal process was deliberately stalled, with even basic matters—such as whether the grieving mother could present her complaint in the abductor’s presence—still under debate.
Political infighting within the ruling party and factions of the so-called Congress Party further eroded the rule of law. Amid this chaos, Union Home Minister Y.B. Chavan arrived in Srinagar on September 2, 1967. The Kashmir Hindu Action Committee submitted a memorandum outlining government negligence in the Parmeshwari case and presented six key demands:
- Return of the abducted girl to her widowed mother.
- A judicial probe into police misconduct and abduction cover-ups, with suspension of implicated officers.
- Release of all detainees from the agitation and withdrawal of punitive actions against government employees.
- Compensation for victims of police brutality, arson, and looting.
- Restoration of law and order to ensure minority safety.
- A tribunal led by a High Court judge to investigate minority grievances.
Amarnath Vaishnavi reflected on the events of September 2 as follows:
“Throughout the day and late into the night, discussions took place. Later, a deputation from the Hindu Action Committee held a second round of talks with Shri Chavan. However, behind the scenes, a different narrative was being crafted by government loyalists.
Disguised as ‘Peace Loving Citizens,’ members of the government’s ‘Control Room’ presented another memorandum, also dated September 2, 1967, to Shri Chavan. They lavished praise on him for his recent statements in New Delhi regarding the tragic Ranchi incidents. Notably, their memorandum was compiled and printed within two days—a clear indication of government involvement. It contained statistical data about the representation of different communities in government services and admissions, particularly at the Regional Engineering College in Srinagar. Unsurprisingly, these figures were readily available, further proving the government’s role in orchestrating this counter-narrative.
Most shockingly, the memorandum trivialized the abduction of the minor Hindu orphan girl, stating: “The conversion to Islam and the marriage of a Kashmiri Pandit girl with a Muslim is a very trivial matter in our normal life and could not and should not have caused a sizeable conflagration.” This statement starkly highlighted the indifference towards the plight of the Kashmiri Pandit community, as their legitimate grievances were dismissed in favour of political manoeuvring and appeasement.
Unintentionally revealing their bias, these self-proclaimed “Peace Loving Citizens” detailed every atrocity committed by the majority community, but with a calculated reversal—portraying Kashmiri Pandits as the perpetrators instead. In their fervent attempt to sway Shri Y.B. Chavan’s perspective, they included the following statement in their Memorandum:
“The actual truth is that they (Kashmiri Pandits) have spared no efforts to wipe out the Muslim population by resorting to violence. Unfortunately, the State Government has also suppressed many of the glaring activities of incendiarism, in which the Kashmiri Pandit community has engaged itself during the last two or three weeks or so. Huge stocks of arms and ammunition have been recovered from temples, houses, and large truckloads of armaments have been seized, but neither Kashmir Radio nor the information department has had to say a word about the disclosures, although there is hardly any person in the State who is not aware of the matter.”
However, these so-called “Peace Loving Citizens” conveniently failed to address a crucial question: how exactly had the State Government disposed of these alleged truckloads of arms and ammunition? Their silence on this matter only deepened suspicions about the true intent behind their claims.
On 2nd September 1967, a printed appeal was issued by Khawaja Ali Shah, Chairman of Idara Auqafe-Islamia, Jammu and Kashmir, former President of the Plebiscite Front, and an ex-Minister of Revenue during Sheikh Abdullah’s tenure. Addressed to the Prime Minister, the appeal described the seduction case as follows:
“Recently, an event has taken place which, from whatever point of view it is looked upon, was a common occurrence but has been exploited in a way that has shaken the country’s peace to its foundation and deeply and rudely shaken the confidence of the majority community. A Kashmiri Pandit girl has married a Muslim after fulfilling legal formalities. There have been well-known inter-communal marriage cases in Kashmir that caused no tension or excitement. Why the present case was treated as an exception passes our comprehension, particularly when it was sub judice and when judicial findings would have revealed the true position. It appears that the know-how in this particular case must have been determined by some ulterior motive, which was used as a camouflage.”
While making similarly flagrant statements in his appeal, Khawaja Ali Shah also advocated for the release of Sheikh Abdullah.
The above extracts from the Memorandum of the “Peace Loving Citizens” and Khawaja Ali Shah’s appeal revealed the prevailing mentality of the majority community regarding the minority. The State Government, through its Department of Information, issued the following joint communiqué on 3rd September 1967:
On the conclusion of the visit of the Union Home Minister, Shri Y.B. Chavan, to Srinagar, the following agreed statement was issued:
The representatives of the Hindu Action Committee met the Union Home Minister in Srinagar on 2nd and 3rd September 1967 and presented various matters concerning their recently launched movement. The Union Home Minister urged them to strive for an atmosphere of peace and order, facilitating a calm and impartial assessment of all issues. He earnestly advised them to withdraw the agitation.
The State Government reiterated that in a democracy, every citizen has the right to voice grievances, and it is the duty of the Government to ensure redressal where necessary. The Chief Minister reaffirmed this commitment multiple times, both within and outside the State Legislature.
The Action Committee also expressed concerns regarding various hardships and difficulties faced by their community in areas such as economic development, employment, and educational opportunities. The Chief Minister had already announced his decision to form a committee to examine these and related matters. Soon after receiving a Memorandum on the subject from the Action Committee, the State Government assured that an impartial committee would be established, one that would command universal confidence.
The government issued the following statement:
The Action Committee agreed to suspend the agitation in response to the Union Home Minister’s appeal. In return, the Chief Minister promised to release all detainees and withdraw punitive actions against those involved.
In a joint statement, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister urged the people of Jammu & Kashmir to maintain communal harmony and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring equal rights and security for all, including minority communities.
Following this, Shri Y.B. Chavan held a press conference in Srinagar after meeting the United Muslim Front, which effectively became the new “Control Room.” It was agreed that by September 13, the abducted girl would be removed from her abductor’s custody and placed with her mother or a third party while the court handled the case.
However, this was never implemented. Instead, the “Control Room” mobilized the majority community to sabotage the agreement. Chavan did not return to Srinagar as planned, citing tensions at Nathula as an excuse. This episode exposed the State and Central Governments’ collusion in deceiving the Kashmiri Hindus.
Dodged Arrests of Pt. Vaishnavi – Interesting Episodes
During the agitation, police in plain clothes surrounded Sheetalnath, determined to arrest Vaishnavi Ji. His supporters, always vigilant, disguised him by swapping his red turban with a black cap, while Shri Prem Nath Ji Gasi wore the turban. After the speech, they further altered his appearance with a muffler and a lit cigarette, helping him blend into the crowd alongside Shri Pushkar Nath Karnel. He was not a smoker. As they slipped into a lane, the police, mistaking Shri Gasi for Vaishnavi Ji, followed him instead.
Sensing police presence ahead, Vaishnavi Ji quickly entered a nearby house, where the family welcomed him. Their daughter-in-law had just given birth and was resting under a mosquito net. When the water delivery man arrived, the elderly woman, fearing he might inform the police, had her daughter-in-law get up and instructed Vaishnavi Ji to lie down on the bed, covering him with a quilt. Once the man left, they resumed their places, and after tea, Vaishnavi Ji left, staying overnight at a friend’s house.
A day earlier, as he addressed a gathering at Sheetalnath, a jeep pulled up, and five men stepped out. One called for him, and as he descended the stairs, two small children ran to him, clinging to his legs and crying. Though too young to explain properly, they begged him not to go outside, warning that the men were police planning to arrest him. Witnessing their distress, the men hesitated and drove away. Later, the children revealed they had overheard the officers’ plan: one would lure Vaishnavi Ji past a marked spot, where the others would seize him. Their innocent yet timely warning saved him from arrest.
Though the movement was suppressed, the 1967 Kashmiri Pandit agitation remains a landmark struggle—a testament to a community’s unwavering fight against injustice, a moment in history that must not be forgotten.
Vaishnavi’s battle cry, “Jaikara Har Har Mahadev,” continues to echo through history as a symbol of resilience and defiance against oppression.
Amarnath Vaishnavi Foundation 