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Who Was India’s Home Minister in 1990
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed served as India’s Union Home Minister from December 2, 1989, to November 10, 1990, under Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s government. He was the first Muslim to hold this position in India.
Born on January 12, 1936, in Bijbehara, Anantnag district, Sayeed had a long political career before becoming Home Minister. In 1987, he quit the Congress party to join V.P. Singh’s Jan Morcha, which led to his appointment as Home Minister when the National Front government came to power in 1989.
His tenure as Home Minister coincided with the most critical period of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus.
Timeline of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s Tenure
December 2, 1989
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was inducted as Union Home Minister in Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s Janata Dal government.
December 8, 1989
Just six days into his tenure, Sayeed’s daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed, was kidnapped by militants of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) in Srinagar.
December 13, 1989
At 7:00 p.m. on December 13, 1989, Rubaiya Sayeed was set free, two hours after the government released five jailed militants.
January 19, 1990
Mosques issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that the males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed. This marked the beginning of the mass exodus.
November 10, 1990
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure as Home Minister ended when V.P. Singh’s government fell.
The Rubaiya Sayeed Kidnapping
The Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping became a turning point in Kashmir’s history.
On December 8, 1989, Rubaiya Sayeed, the 23-year-old medical intern daughter of Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was abducted by militants affiliated with the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front while travelling in a shared auto-rickshaw from her workplace at the Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar.
The Kidnappers’ Demands
The kidnappers demanded the release of five jailed JKLF militants: Hamid Sheikh (also known as Hamid Faiyaz), Altaf Ahmed Bhat, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Javed Ahmed Mir, and Mohammad Yaqoob Eedhi.
Government’s Decision
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah opposed conceding to the demands, arguing that it would encourage further abductions. However, the central government took a different approach.
Former Union Minister Arif Mohammad Khan, who was part of Prime Minister V.P. Singh’s Cabinet, revealed that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed established contact with the JKLF kidnappers through Justice M.L. Bhatt and, through him, leaked the news that the Central government was ready to give in to the demands.
All five terrorists were released even before Rubaiya was freed.
Long-term Consequences
The terrorists were emboldened by this release, and this was a turning point in the history of Kashmir militancy, which left a long-lasting impact in Kashmir.
The decision set a dangerous precedent that would haunt India for years to come.
Key Events During His Tenure
January 1990: Intelligence Officers Targeted
In January and February 1990, several Intelligence Bureau officers were killed during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure as Home Minister.
ML Bhan was killed on January 15, 1990. He was a government employee from Khonmoh, Srinagar.
Tej Kishen Razdan from Badgam was among the IB officers killed in January and February 1990. These intelligence operatives were assassinated in a pattern of targeted killings.
February 2, 1990: Satish Tikoo Murdered
Satish Tikoo, a 22-year-old Kashmiri Pandit businessman and social worker, was murdered on February 2, 1990, near his own house in Habba Kadal, Srinagar. He was killed by Farooq Ahmad Dar, alias Bitta Karate, a militant of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front.
Bitta Karate, who knew Satish personally and often took rides on his scooter, shot him at point-blank range in broad daylight. When Satish tried to defend himself by throwing his kangri at the assailant, he missed, and Bitta fired the first bullet that hit him in the jaw. As Satish fell, several more bullets were pumped into his body.
Bitta Karate later confessed in a 1991 televised interview that Satish Tikoo was the first Kashmiri Pandit he murdered. He admitted to killing over 20 Kashmiri Pandits.
February 13, 1990: Lassa Kaul Shot Dead
Lassa Kaul, Station Director of Srinagar Doordarshan, was shot dead on February 13, 1990. He was a prominent member of the Kashmiri Pandit community and a government employee.
March 1, 1990: PN Handoo and Tej Kishen Killed
PN Handoo of the information department was killed on March 1, 1990. On the same day, Tej Kishen of Badgam was hanged to death.
April 18, 1990: Sarla Bhat Abducted and Murdered
Sarla Bhat, a 27-year-old Kashmiri Pandit nurse from Anantnag, worked at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar. Despite threats from militants ordering Kashmiri Pandits to quit their jobs and leave the Valley, Sarla chose to stay and continue her work.
On April 18, 1990, she was abducted from the Habba Khatoon women’s hostel at SKIMS by armed JKLF militants. The next morning, her bullet-riddled body was found on a roadside at Umar Colony, Mallabagh, Soura in downtown Srinagar.
According to investigators, Sarla was gang-raped and subjected to horrific torture before being murdered. Her body showed signs of brutal mutilation. A handwritten note was left beside her body, falsely branding her as a police informant.
April 29, 1990: Sarwanand Kaul Premi and His Son Killed
Sarvanand Kaul Premi, a veteran Kashmiri poet, and his son were shot and hanged on April 29, 1990. This brutal murder shocked the literary and cultural community of Kashmir.
June 1990: Girija Tickoo Brutally Murdered
Girija Tickoo (also spelt Girija Tikoo), a Kashmiri Pandit woman from Bandipora, worked as a librarian at Government High School in Trehgam. She had fled to Jammu with her family during the exodus.
In June 1990, she received a call from someone who informed her that the situation in the valley had improved and that she could come to Bandipora to collect her pending salary. She was assured that she would return home safely.
Trusting this assurance, she travelled back to Kashmir. She was kidnapped from the home of her Muslim colleague. Over several days, she was gang-raped and subjected to unimaginable torture.
Her body was found on a roadside. The post-mortem report revealed that she was cut into two halves using a mechanical saw while she was still alive. Her death remains one of the most horrific atrocities committed during the exodus.
Note: Sources differ on the exact date. Wikipedia states June 4, 1990, while memorial observances and family accounts commemorate June 25, 1990, as the date of her death.
June 24, 1990: Ashwani Garyali Killed
Ashwani Garyali, a 25-year-old son of Shambu Nath Garyali from Chhatabal, Srinagar, was shot by five masked intruders on June 24, 1990, after they accused him of being an informer. He died after being denied medical care.
September 1990: AFSPA Implementation
During Mufti Sayeed’s tenure as the Indian Home Minister, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was invoked in Jammu and Kashmir in September 1990, thereby granting the armed forces sweeping powers in the region.
Pattern of Targeted Killings
The killings during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure followed a clear pattern:
- Intelligence officers and government employees were systematically targeted.
- Prominent community members, including journalists, teachers, and cultural figures, were assassinated.
- Women who refused to leave their jobs or the Valley faced horrific violence.
- Those who defied militant orders were made examples of through brutal public killings.
These targeted killings created an atmosphere of terror that forced the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.
The Night of January 19, 1990
January 19, 1990, is remembered as the darkest night in Kashmiri Pandit history.
On that day, mosques issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that the males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed. Those who chose to leave were told to leave their women behind.
Around 9 PM, loud and thunderous Islamic and pro-Pakistan slogans raised collectively by a multitude and relayed through powerful loudspeakers almost pierced eardrums.
From the next morning, January 20, 1990, it was the rule of the mosque, the priest and the Islamists. Loudspeakers mounted on mosque rooftops blared uninterruptedly, warning the Pandits to leave the Valley.
Government Response to the Crisis
Failure to Protect
The state government machinery had collapsed by January 20, 1990. The government was knocked out by a single night of defiance and revolt, and the next morning, not a single policeman was visible anywhere in the city. They had withdrawn to their barracks or hid in their homes as the administrative machinery had collapsed and law and order crumbled.
Scale of Exodus
Of a total Pandit population of 120,000 to 140,000, some 90,000 to 100,000 left the valley or felt compelled to leave by the middle of 1990.
As many as 75,343 Kashmiri Pandits are estimated to have fled in January 1990, with about 70,000 more following till March.
Casualty Figures
Different sources provide varying casualty figures:
30 or 32 Kashmiri Pandits had been killed by insurgents by mid-March 1990, when the exodus was largely complete, according to some scholars. Indian Home Ministry data records 217 Hindu civilian fatalities during the four-year period, 1988 to 1991.
The local organisation of Hindus in Kashmir, Kashmir Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, after carrying out a survey in 2008 and 2009, estimated 357 Hindus were killed in Kashmir in 1990.
Political Controversies
Responsibility Debates
Several political leaders pointed to the central government’s role in the exodus.
Former Union Minister Arif Mohammad Khan said that his then colleague, Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, appeared to have protected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, as a result of which terrorism got a fillip in the region.
Acts of Omission and Commission
Khan said that after the kidnapping of Sayeed’s daughter, Rubaiya, on 8 December 1989 by JKLF, there were acts of omission and commission on Sayeed’s part.
Khan was not aware of any major initiative launched by the Government of India against JKLF or other organisations, because they had kidnapped Mufti’s daughter.
National Front Government’s Role
V.P. Singh faced his first crisis within a few days of taking office, when Kashmiri militants kidnapped the daughter of his Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
The government’s decision to release militants in exchange for Rubaiya drew widespread criticism for emboldening terrorist groups.
Impact on the Kashmiri Pandit Community
The decisions made during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure had lasting consequences for the Kashmiri Pandit community.
Demographic Change
Of the approximately 300,000 to 600,000 Hindus living in the Kashmir Valley in 1990, only 2,000 to 3,000 remain there in 2016.
Living Conditions
Kashmiri Pandits who fled ended up in refugee camps in Jammu and Delhi. They lived in tents measuring 12 feet by 12 feet, facing extreme weather conditions, poor sanitation, and limited resources.
Long-term Displacement
The exodus that began in January 1990, during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure as Home Minister, continues to this day. Most Kashmiri Pandits have not been able to return to their homes in the Valley.
Cultural Loss
The exodus resulted in the near-complete elimination of the indigenous Hindu population from the Kashmir Valley, destroying centuries of cultural heritage and religious sites.
Lessons from History
The events of 1990 serve as important lessons:
- Early Warning Signs Matter: The targeted killings in 1989 were clear warning signs that needed immediate action.
- Appeasement Emboldens Terrorism: The release of five militants in exchange for Rubaiya Sayeed showed terrorists that kidnapping works.
- Minority Protection Requires Strong Action: The failure to protect Kashmiri Pandits showed what happens when governments prioritise other considerations over minority safety.
- Political Will Is Essential: Without a strong political will to protect all citizens equally, vulnerable minorities suffer.
Conclusion
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure as India’s Home Minister from December 1989 to November 1990 marked one of the darkest chapters in modern Indian history. The decisions made during this period, particularly the release of militants in exchange for his daughter Rubaiya, had far-reaching consequences.
The Kashmiri Pandit exodus that occurred under his watch resulted in the displacement of over 90,000 people and the near-total elimination of the Hindu population from the Kashmir Valley. While multiple factors contributed to this tragedy, the role of the central government and its Home Minister remains a subject of historical scrutiny.
The events of 1990 must be remembered to ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.
FAQs
Who was India’s Home Minister during the Kashmiri Pandit exodus in 1990?
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was India’s Union Home Minister from December 2, 1989, to November 10, 1990, during the Kashmiri Pandit exodus. He was the first Muslim to hold this position.
When did the Kashmiri Pandit exodus begin?
The exodus began on the night of January 19, 1990, when mosques issued declarations that Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed.
How many Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley in 1990?
Of a total Pandit population of 120,000 to 140,000, some 90,000 to 100,000 left the valley or felt compelled to leave by the middle of 1990.
What was the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping?
On December 8, 1989, just six days after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became Home Minister, his daughter Rubaiya Sayeed was kidnapped by JKLF militants. She was released on December 13, 1989, after the government released five jailed militants.
Who were the five militants released in exchange for Rubaiya Sayeed?
The five militants released were Hamid Sheikh (also known as Hamid Faiyaz), Altaf Ahmed Bhat, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Javed Ahmed Mir, and Mohammad Yaqoob Eedhi, all members of JKLF.
How many Kashmiri Pandits were killed in 1990?
According to scholars, 30 or 32 Kashmiri Pandits had been killed by mid-March 1990. The Kashmir Pandit Sangharsh Samiti estimated 357 Hindus were killed in Kashmir in 1990.
What happened on the night of January 19, 1990?
Around 9 PM on January 19, 1990, loud Islamic and pro-Pakistan slogans were relayed through powerful loudspeakers from mosques. From the next morning onward, loudspeakers warned Pandits to leave the Valley.
Did Farooq Abdullah support releasing the five militants?
No, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah opposed conceding to the demands, arguing that it would encourage further abductions.
What was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s political background?
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed served as Union Tourism Minister from 1983 to 1985. In 1987, he quit the Congress party to join V.P. Singh’s Jan Morcha, which led to him becoming Home Minister in 1989.
How long did Mufti Mohammad Sayeed serve as Home Minister?
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed served as India’s Home Minister for approximately 11 months, from December 2, 1989, to November 10, 1990, when the V.P. Singh government fell.
