Prayagraj, Feb 25: Ravindra Pandit, the president of the All India Kashmiri Samaj, lambasted the central government on Tuesday for its “indifference” regarding the rights to worship at the Sharda Peeth, an age-old Hindu temple situated in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
During a press conference held at the Sringeri Math in Daraganj, Pandit expressed, “Currently, under the India-Pakistan treaty, only individuals from Kashmir with relatives in PoJK can visit Sharda Peeth. However, as no Kashmiri (Hindu) has any relatives there, accessing the site is impossible.” He further stated, “Last month, when Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Shankaracharya Vidhushekhara Bharati ji of Sringeri Peetha at Maha Kumbh, he assured that the government was addressing this issue, but they haven’t provided any timeline.” The Kashmiri Pandit activist asserted that the site, located 10 km from the Line of Control, is currently facing encroachment.
“Should the Indian government fail to act, we will approach the International Court of Justice or we may be compelled to cross the Line of Control,” he warned.
Ravindra, who has advocated for the Peeth on multiple platforms, also claimed that he had applied for a LoC permit to visit Sharda Peeth twice, but both requests were denied by the central government due to the treaty constraints.
In addressing reporters, he also urged the Centre to implement measures for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir and proposed the establishment of a shrine board to safeguard the temples in the Valley.
