Srinagar: Dozens of migrant Kashmiri Pandits yesterday held a peaceful protest here against what they called callous attitude of the central and state governments towards their problems.
Shouting slogans against the central and the state governments, representatives of All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC), Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that if their demands are not fulfilled, they would “sit on fast unto death” during the Janmashtami festival on August 17.
The six-point charter of demands of the migrant Pandits includes re-drafting of the pending Kashmir temples and shrines bill in the state assembly, and probe into encroachment of shrine and temple lands in Kashmir Valley.
Besides, the Psndits also want a dialogue with Pakistan for facilitating their visit to the Sharda Peeth temple in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, establishment of Sharda Peeth University in the state, and a special employment package for the unemployed youths of the community.
The representatives showed a 2013 letter of state Rehabilitation Minister A.A. Khan, requesting one of their members, Vinod Pandita, to end his fast-unto-death, undertaken in Porbandar (Gujarat) to press for the demands.
Rahul will revive Cong, says Tharoor
New Delhi: The Congress yesterday said although its tally was reduced to a mere 44 MPs in the Lok Sabha, it had a presence in every village and every city in India and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will work to increase that base.
“One should not think that Congress is only about 44 MPs. The Congress is in every village, every town of this country wherever its ideology finds reflection in people’s belief,” Congress spokesperson Shashi Tharoor told the media. Rahul would be instrumental in reviving the party, he added.
“Rahul not becoming the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha should not be seen as his reluctance to lead the party. He will be tackling issues across India and revive the Congress,” said Tharoor.
Rahul knew how he would be most effective for the party and his visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun showed his resolve to keep meeting people and give voice to their grievances, he added.
IANS
