New Delhi: A group of Kashmiri Pandits
on Sunday staged a protest here demanding that the Centre and
Jammu and Kashmir government facilitate pilgrimage to Sharda
Peeth in Pak-occupied-Kashmir.
The Delhi unit of the All Parties Migrants Coordination
Committee (APMCC) demonstrated in Jantar Mantar here pledging
their support of the indefinite hunger strike launched by the
outfit chairman Vinod Pandit in Jammu on October 7.
"Sharda Peeth is an iconic seat of learning, scholarship
and accreditation, which plays a key role in defining the
identities of Kashmiri Pandits," Ravinder Pandita, Delhi unit
in-charge of APMCC, said.
"We are not making an extraordinary demand. Just like
people from different religious sects are allowed to go for
pilgrimage to their place of worship, similarly we demand that
Mata Sharda temple in PoK be opened for KPs to pay homage,"
another APMCC member Mohan Kishen Mongha said.
Pilgrimage to Shardha Peeth temple in Muzafarabad in
PoK is closed since 1947.
The APMCC is demanding that India and Pakistan should
hold talks over the issue and facilitate pilgrimage to the
shrine.
A six-point charter of demands has been designed by
APMCC which include establishment of Sharda Peeth University
in Jammu and Kashmir, passing of the pending Temples and
Shrines Bill for in the state Assembly, as well as coming up
with special employment package for non-migrant Hindus in
Kashmir Valley.
Prominent Dogra and Kashmiri organisations have
submitted memorandums to the offices of President of India,
Prime Minister and Chief Minister.
PTI
