Readers' Forum

SASB controversy & Kashmiri Pandits

Dear Editor,
Frankenstein's monster uncorked by our crafty politicians by raking up the SASB land transfer has already created havoc in the secular fabric of the state. Little do these political outfits care for the loss of precious lives and the communal divide created by their political manoeuvring.
SASB has hit the media headlines since its very inception. Firstly, it was its monopolization by a selected few who knew very little about the traditional characteristics of centuries old Yatra and the local sensitivities. This was followed by melting of the sacred lingam as a consequence of extending the period of the yatra by the SASB mindlessly with little respect for religious sanctity. In the process the Board also locked horns with one of the constituents of the coalition for whatever hidden reasons there may have been. This was followed up by a crude cover up by way of installing an artificial ice lingam.
And now the row over the land transfer. It is pure common sense that a job is done best by a person who knows how to do it. I, though being a Hindu, am quite unaware of rituals and traditions for puja and entering sanctum sanctorum at many religious places in India. It was therefore uncalled for to hand over the shrine management to board consisting of a coterie with scant knowledge about the Yatra which treated it more as a tourism and commercial exercise rather than a religious pilgrimage. Shree Amarnath Yatra has always been a sacred ritualistic Hindu yearly exercise conducted with logistic local support and has been revered by the Kashmiri majority as much as by the Kashmiri Pandits.
In fact as the legend goes spiritualistic forces drew a Muslim shepherd of the Malik family to the holy cave and chose him to announce the supernatural phenomenon of the holy lingam to the Hindu community. Mutual respect for each other's religious places has been a way of life in Kashmir valley and Hindu-Muslim is the strongest bond being seen on religious occasions. It is unfortunate this sacred Yatra has been made a political arena victim.
High pitched passions and widespread protests in favour or against land transfer that have rocked the summer and winter capitals of the state have pushed the core issue of rightful claim of Kashmiri Pandits on their religious shrines in the valley into background. No KP leader of any consequence belonging to any mainstream or regional party has pursued this agenda and a large number of shrines continue to decay after the mass KP exodus. Even ASKPC, that has historically represented KPs interests, has been misled into betting a wrong horse. Instead of forcefully staking its claims for control of all its shrines and temples in the valley in place of government controlled bodies including SASB, it has preferred to beat about the bush in the present political controversy.
Political compulsions and strategic exigencies in the current scenario have sprung the alternative of handing over of SASB to Kashmiri Pandits. Support for this proposal has come from PDP leadership, a party so far viewed with reservations by the KP community. Its sincerity will, however, be judged by the manner and the seriousness it exhibits in championing this cause. History also seems to be knocking at the doors of separatist organisations to prove their credentials of love for Kashmiriyat .
This, they should have demonstrated by treating Kashmiri Pandit places of worship at par with the Muslim religious places and agitated for transfer of land to Kashmiri Pandits rather than insisting on its cancellation. Conciliatory words by these leaders with Yatra pilgrims are a welcome as cosmetic dressing but can not be a substitute for active support for transfer of SASB to KPs. By handing over the Yatra to the Tourism department, the state government is seen to have succumbed to the blackmail at the cost of a hurt Hindu psyche and consequent backlash in the Jammu division.
All those who are interested in dousing the flames of passion on both the sides should consider actively supporting the proposal of transfer of all the shrines including Shree Amarnath Asthapan to Kashmiri Pandits. If Auqaf and other religious organisations can look after their places of worship, what justification does the state government has in denying similar status to Kashmiri Pandits. It would be advisable for the state government to immediately make such an announcement conceding long pending demand of KPs which should eventually be followed by creation of an appropriate elected body on the lines of Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee through an appropriate Legislative Act or an Ordinance. The temptation to incorporate its favourite 'yes men' by the government in such an envisaged body needs to be avoided.
--Dr. R.K. Raina,
Former Principal Medical College, Jammu

Say no to politics of hatred!

Dear Editor,
Keeping in view the recent situation in the Valley on the land transfer issue, some groups from outside the Valley are trying to paint the people of the Valley as communal, which is totally wrong. The people of Valley have never been communal. They respect all other religions and beliefs. There are hundreds and thousands of instances, which can stand as testimony to prove it notwithstanding that thousands of Kashmiris lost their lives in the past two decades. Even in the recent agitation, five persons were killed.
This is unfortunate that the politicians have always exploited Kashmiris. As in the recent case of land transfer, one political party formed the Shrine Board, another transferred the land and third one flared up the matter to such an extent that it resulted in the communal tension outside the Valley.
I appeal to the people belonging to all political and religious not to indulge in this politics of hatred for the sake of humanity.
--Mushtaaque Ali Ahmed Khan,
Srinagar