Mistakes led to exodus of Kashmiri Hindus: Farooq Abdullah

Union minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today said mistakes committed in the past led to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus from Jammu & Kashmir as also to the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.

"It is our fault as the Kashmiri Hindus have been made homeless and forced to live outside," Abdullah said at an Urdu conference.

He said it hurts him that his Kashmiri Hindu brothers and sisters have been forced to live in hot and humid weather conditions elsewhere in the country, which they were not used to, having been lived in cold climate.

He, however, did not elaborate on the "fault".

Many Kashmiri Hindus, particularly members of the Pandit community, were forced to leave the Valley by terrorists during late 1980s and early 1990s.

Over one crore Kashmiri Muslims did not support the separatists' ideology and were actually paying a price for their stand, he said referring to militancy-related activities in his home state.

The Kashmiri Muslims have to endure harassment, whenever Pakistan-backed ultras do something in India, Abdullah said, adding, Jammu & Kashmir would never get separated from India.