Stage joint protest demonstration along with Kranti Dal,ASKPC

APMCC demands probe into encroachments of Hindu temples

News and Events

Stage joint protest demonstration along with Kranti Dal,ASKPC,RIK,DTSSS Jammu (India) July 31, 2009

Report and Images by Raman Raina All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) alongwith various leading organizations of Jammu and Kashmir staged a massive joint protest demonstration and burnt the effigy of the successive state and central governments for their discriminatory attitude towards Kashmiri Hindus and encouraging the land grabbing and encroachment of Hindu temples in Kashmir Valley and Jammu. The demonstrators led by APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit sought a full-fledged probe into the encroachment of temple land and property by the land mafia and warned the government of an indefinite hunger strike if the probe is not ordered by the first week of the September this year. The prominent organizations which staged the joint protest demonstration include APMCC, Kranti Dal, Dharmarth Trust Sudhar Sangarsh Samiti (DTSSS), All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), Roots In Kashmir (RIK) and ALL Migrant Camps Coordination Committee (AMCCC). The demonstrators warned the government that they would not allow anybody to erase their cultural roots by snatching the land and property of temples by the vested interests, land mafia and self styled temple committees any more and will go to any extent in protecting their cultural and religious heritage. Speaking on the occasion APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit said that if government can order CBI probe in sex Scandal, Fake encounters, Shopian episode, Wakf Board etc why was it dragging its feet in ordering the probe in the encroachments of temple land and property in Kashmir Valley. He said that they have already warned the government of serious consequences of its ignoring the religious minority in Kashmir but the successive central and state governments have turned a deaf ear towards their repeated pleas. Ms Asha Zaroo, President Mahila wing of APMCC said that her organization would release a white paper on the temple encroachments in Kashmir in the month of August to expose the misdeeds of the successive state and central governments over the issue.Samir Raina spokesman of APMCC warned of an indefinite hunger strike if the probe was not ordered by the first week of September saying APMCC alongwith other organizations would launch hunger strike from September onwards. Speaking on the occasion Raj Roop Singh, president and Pritam Sharma general secretary of Kranti Dal demanded installation of only elected temple committees for all temples and assured their full support to APMCC in protecting the rights of the Hindus in saving the temples from land grabbers and land mafia.Prof Subash Gupta, president along with Karnail Chand, Vice president and Krishan Lal Kapoor general secretary of Dharmarth Trust Sudhar Sangarsh Samiti demanded a similar probe into the illegal encroachments, illegal selling of temple property and forcible occupation of temples by the land mafia in Jammu saying many self styled people were misusing the temple property and land for their personal benefit. The leaders warned of a backlash if the probe into the all temple encroachments was not ordered for the whole of the state.HL Chatta General Secretary ASKPC while speaking on the occasion said that encroachment of temples in Kashmir was a serious matter as most of the temple property has been usurped by the land mafia with full support of the state government. He said that encroachment of Sharda Asthapan Gund Gochi Kupwara by locals where 1 Kanal 15 marla land of temple and that of Kashmiri migrants has been usurped was a perfect example of how religious places of Pandits were being erased from the map by the communal and fundamental elements.Hira Lal Bhat, general secretary J&K Vichar Manch, Desh Rattan Pandita president AMCCC, Veer Ji Saraf convener RIK and Prof. GK Mujoo, veteran social activist and journalist sought immediate stopping of Talibanisation of J&K State and appealed the Jammu based and other MLAs to raise the issue in the state assembly to save the temples of Hindus if they want to save their identity.APMCC leaders, Ramesh Ji Bhat, organizer, Chand Narayan Kandroo, sr leader, MK Pandita General Secretary, Sanatan Dharam Sabha and executive member of APMCC, TK Dhar, president Tripur Sundari Asthapan Devsar and Raj Nath Fotedar executive member APMCC said that letters will be dispatched to the Prime Minister of India, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Governor NN Vohra, J&K Chief Minister, NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather, PCC Chief Prof. Saifu-ud-Din Soz and Prof Bhim Singh tomorrow to apprise them of the grave situation and seek their immediate intervention adding if nothing comes out they will be forced to launch a massive mass agitation to seek justice.Advocate BN Pandita said that Dr Manmohan Singh has breached his promise made to APMCC at Jagti when APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit handed over a memorandum to him assuring that KPs problems would be looked into. J,K, Kaul Bezan, veteran artists said that the employment package for 10,000 Kashmiri Pandits announced by PM has not been implemented while the Pandit youth are living a miserable life of unemployment in camps and elsewhere. Earlier APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit said that KPs had a 5000 year old history but the Talibanization of the state has resulted in massive land grabbing and encroachments of temple land at Akingaum, Sagam, Handwara, Fateh Pora, Verinag, Qazigund, Wanpooh, Naran Naag, Sathu Barbar Shah, MA Road Srinagar, Uma Nagri, Kralgund Kupwara, Kunigam, Karkut Naag Sali, Saligam and Sita Haran etc. He said a CBI or Judicial probe was the only solution to save the temples to save Hindus of the J&K state.

Raman Raina is Shehjar's Chief Photo Journalist based in Jammi, India.