Memorandum submitted to his excellency the Sh. Ram Nath Kovind hon’ble President of India

It gives me an immense pleasure to address your Excellency  for the first time after taking over the charge of All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS).  Your Excellency  needs no fresh introduction to All India Kashmiri Samaj, the apex organisation of Kashmiri Pandits having more than 60 Affiliates both within India and abroad.  I feel privileged to send you warm greetings on my and on behalf of all the Affiliate organisations that this organisation has the honour to represent.

As you are aware that AIKS is on the forefront of pleading the case of exiled Kashmiri Pandits, that involves their day to day and long term survival and is in constant contact with the powers that be. Your Excellency is well aware of the problems of Kashmiri Pandits who have been away from their land for more than 30 years now.  Today Kashmir is without Kashmiri Pandits.  This has led to their socio-political alienation from the state. AIKS once again is taking the lead in drawing the attention of your Excellency towards the tragic and unfortunate incident of desecration of  Bhargshakha Mata Temple at Mattan in Anantnag district Kashmir on the intervening night of October 1 and 2, 2021.

    While the acts of vandalism of the temple complex and desecration of the sanctum sanctorum of the much revered temple deserves condemnation by one and all, we urge Your Excellency’s help and support to get the whole matter looked into with all the seriousness that it deserves. As Your Excellency is aware that the incident, quite naturally, has sent shock waves in the community across the world and look upon your excellency for the justice.

It is urged that the state administration comprehend the elements behind this heinous crime and also unravel the conspiracy theory, if any,  of the incident and ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future as it poses a great threat to the civilizational existence of displaced community. These temples and shrines constitute the living symbols of the socio-cultural life of the displaced community.

In this context, Your Excellency, the passage of Temples and Shrines Bill assumes more significance now than ever before. As the Apex body of all KP organizations, the AIKS sees these temples and shrines as collective community assets and symbols of their identity, therefore plead for the control and management of these vital assets and their preservation for our posterity.