PNBMT discusses issues confronting KP community

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Sept 1: The Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) held a meeting under the chairmanship of C.L. Pandita, its Chairman, to deliberate upon and finalise various programmes and activities to be undertaken during the month of September.

The meeting discussed at length issues concerning the Kashmiri Pandit community, with particular emphasis on the protection, preservation and restoration of temples and shrines in Kashmir and the need to vigorously pursue the demand for an appropriate Temple Bill besides the preparations for amateur annual journalist award ceremony organized by the Trust .

Addressing the meeting, C.L. Pandita said that the Trust must work with renewed zeal, determination and unity to carry forward the long-pending community agenda. He said that the protection of temples, shrines and their properties in Kashmir remains one of the foremost concerns of the displaced KPs.

Pandita stressed that the demand for the passage of the Temple Bill needs to be pursued with greater vigour and through sustained democratic and public engagement.

The meeting observed that the temples and shrines of Kashmir are not merely places of worship but are invaluable symbols of the ancient civilisational, spiritual and cultural heritage of Kashmir. Their preservation is therefore a matter of great importance not only for Pandits but for the preservation of the pluralistic and civilisational legacy of Kashmir itself.

During the deliberations, members associated with temple management bodies in Kashmir provided valuable feedback regarding the latest condition of various temple properties.

The meeting emphasised that regular interaction with temple committees and management bodies functioning in different parts of Kashmir should be strengthened so that accurate information about the condition of temples, shrines and their properties remains available.

The meeting was attended by a large number of prominent members and community representatives, including B.L. Saraf, former District & Sessions Judge; M.K. Bharat, Kashmiri Lal, Ramesh Marhatta, Kanwar Watt, Bimal Wantoo, Subhash Chatta, M.K. Raina, Bushan Ji ,Sundari Lal Koul; Nana Ji; Bharat Bhushan Bhat, Shadi Lal Koul Rais; M.M. Thaploo; and Virender Raina, among others.