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HAF Commends Congressman Pallone for Introducting Kashmiri Pandit Resolution
Washington, D.C. (August 3, 2010) – The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) commended U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) for his leadership in introducing House Resolution 1601 (HR 1601), a bill recognizing the more than 20 years of religious persecution and human rights violations faced by the Kashmiri Pandits.
“Congressman Pallone’s longtime focus on the issues in the region as well as his leadership as past co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans are a testament to his commitment to the community and to human rights,” said Sheetal Shah, a Senior Director at HAF. “Daily news reports indicate Pakistan’s actions in undermining coalition efforts in Afghanistan, so it is imperative for our nation's leadership to understand how similar actions by Pakistan in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir have undermined the many attempts at peace India has taken with its neighbor.”
Over the years, intelligence reports have uncovered that many of the groups responsible for terrorist attacks in Kashmir and throughout India are the same that have claimed responsibility for attacks or plotting attacks against the United States and American interests.
“By recognizing the longtime suffering of Kashmiri Pandits and strengthening the joint counter-terrorism efforts of India and the United States, we can make South Asia safer for people of all faiths, including millions of Hindus,” continued Shah. “We hope this bill will be viewed as a concrete step towards providing a safe, peaceful return for the Pandits to their ancestral homeland in Kashmir, helping undo a decades-long travesty.”
HR 1601 will need 25 cosponsors, ten of whom must be from the Foreign Affairs Committee, before it is scheduled for a committee mark-up and presented for a full House vote. Shah said that HAF was in the midst of a campaign encouraging community members to seek the support of their respective representatives for the bill.