[Reader-list] 'Kashmiri Pandits should be the ones running Amarnath Board'

[Shivam Vij शिवम् विज्]

Dear all,

This is my third day in Srinagar and following the Delhi media on the
internet, it seems to me that not much has come out about the stand
taken by Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs who reside in the Valley. They
were supporting the demand to revoke the land transfer order! A
demonstration by Sikh leaders here was stopped by the police, but
demonstrations by Pandits in Jammu and Delhi, who always complain of
being ignored by the media, have been duly highlighted. This imbalance
is also reflected on the Reader-List.

If anyone's voice is being marginalised in the media discourse, it is
that of communal harmony from the Valley, that of Sikhs and Pandits...
here is one report I found in that direction. Will post more.

best
shivam

o o o

Keep politicians out of shrine board: PDP leader

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=136527

Senior PDP leader, Dr Roop Lal Sharma has advised that Shri Amarnath
Shrine Board affairs be handled by top journalists, lawyers, social
activists from Kashmiri Pandit community. He stressed that politicians
must be kept away from the Board..

SENIOR PEOPLE'S Democratic Party (PDP) leader Dr Roop Lal Sharma has
expressed serious concern over the developments in Jammu and Kashmir
pertaining to the controversy on land transfer to Shri Amarnath Shrine
Board (SASB) and has demanded handing over of the Board to Kashmiri
Pandits for management.

In a statement issued in Jammu, Dr Sharma has said that the
controversy has given a bad name to the state adding, it does not
augur well for the secular character of the state and the government
should act fast to resolve the issue before it snowballs into a major
communal flare-up.

Dr Sharma has said that Amarnath shrine belongs to state, particularly
Kashmiri Pandits, who are the original inhabitants of the state and
the local population of the area, who had been managing the affairs of
the shrine for the past many decades.

He said that only Kashmiri Pandits have the right to manage the
affairs of the shrine besides, the local population of Maliks of
Batkote so that the 'yatra' (pilgrimage) is not communalised by some
vested interests in the administration.

Dr Sharma has also warned the communal elements within the Hindu and
the Muslim societies to refrain from giving the 'yatra' a communal
colour and has condemned the attack on tourists in Kashmir besides,
killing of a Kashmiri youth in the police firing in Kashmir.

Elaborating further, Dr Sharma said that the affairs of the shrine
should be entrusted to select Kashmiri Pandits comprising known
journalists, lawyers and known social activists adding, the political
class should be kept at an arms length from the board.

Dr Sharma also said that even Kashmiri Pandit leaders, who are
affiliated to various groups should be consulted but not given the
reins because that will further divide the community, thus harming the
interests

Hailing the futuristic vision of the PDP patron, Mufti Mohd Sayeed for
suggesting the handing over of the shrine to Kashmiri Pandits, Dr
Sharma said that the government must act fast on his suggestion
considering the fact that Sayeed has always proven right in his
assessment of the situations.

Dr Sharma has also called for an end to violence and asked Muslim
brethren not to fall prey to some over zealous communalists who were
vitiating the secular character of Kashmiris, thereby damaging the
reputation the world over.

He said such incidents would take the situation back to 1990s, thus
causing immense damage to the economy of the Kashmiris.