NEW DELHI, Feb 3:
An organisation representing Kashmiri Hindu migrants today staged a demonstration here to seek assurance from J&K government and the Centre on a six-point charter of demands of the community to protect their cultural and religious heritage in the northern state.
Members of the Delhi unit of All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) observed a token fast at Jantar Mantar in support of the indefinite hunger strike undertaken by the outfit’s Chairman Vinod Pandit at Porbandar in Gujarat.
“We have come out in support of Vinod Pandit in his struggle to save the cultural and religious heritage of Kashmiri Hindus and appeal to the government to give the community an assurance that their demands will be taken up,” APMCC Delhi-unit incharge Ravinder Pandita said.
Vinod Pandit has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Porbandar since January 30 to press for the charter of demands that includes dialogue with Pakistan for facilitating visit to Shardha Peeth Temple in the occupied Kashmir.
Other major demands of the outfit are establishment of Shardha Peeth University in Jammu and Kashmir, passing of the pending Kashmir Temples and Shrines Bill by J&K Assembly and a special employment package for non-migrant Hindus. The bill seeks to set up a board to preserve temples and shrines.
The organisation has also demanded a CBI probe into encroachment of land belonging to temples and shrines in J&K.
Pandita said the fast undertaken by the APMCC chairman is the second phase of their agitation after both the J&K and Union governments failed to meet their demands following a 10-day fast-unto-death by Vinod Pandit in 2011.
“APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit had ended his hunger strike after he was assured by a J&K minister that the issue will be taken up with the state government. However, since then the issue has been left ignored by the state government.
“This time we want more than assurance … Both the J&K government and Centre should give us a public assurance and also a time frame for resolving issues pertaining to the community,” Pandita said.
A copy of the charter of demands has been submitted to Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, he added. (PTI)
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