KOA USA and AIKS to send fact finding team to Kaunsar Nag
- 17 August 2014
Whereas Kashmiri Overseas Association and All India Kashmir Samaj have noted that Omar Abdullah Chief Minister has admitted that he was misguided in his administration’s handling of the Kaunsar Nag yatra which has provoked Global outrage among the Kashmiri Pandits specifically and Hindus generally.
Whereas there has been no action taken against those officials and separatists who initiated, aided and abetted this latest curtailment of the religious rights of the Kashmiri Pandits and filled the Kashmir Valley with fear and uncertainty.
Whereas members of Omar Abdullah’s own party knowingly gave out false and misleading statements which have caused grievous injury to the Kashmiri Pandit community.
Whereas a leading member of the separatist group, Syed Ali Geelani, was allowed to propagate his specious environmental arguments which were not immediately refuted by the State administration and led to a breakdown in the historical trust with the resident community members who otherwise would have peacefully supported the yatris.
Whereas a Pakistani newspaper Dawn has published photographs which purport to show a temporary mosque being constructed at Kaunsar Nag on which the State has not issued any clarification
Whereas The State has continued to fail in its constitutional obligation towards Kashmiri Pandits following their religious cleansing in 1990
a. Preamble – “LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and’ worship”.
b. Para 25 – “25. Duty of the State to foster equality and secularism: – “The State shall combat ignorance, superstition, fanaticism, communalism, racialism, cultural backwardness and shall seek to foster brotherhood and quality among all communities under the aegis of a Secular State.”
Recognizing the gravity of this new development , the KOA Board of Directors and Executive Team along with the Executive Team of All India Kashmiri Samaj has jointly resolved the following:
1) Condemns Jammu and Kashmir Government for siding with forces who are hostile to the continued existence of the Kashmiri Pandit civilization within the Valley.
2) Constitutes a task force of eminent religious scholars and others who will visit the Valley to conduct a fact finding mission on the state of religious freedom of the Kashmiri Pandits, state of temples and shrines and any and all impediments to our performing our yatras and other religious obligations as laid down in our texts.
3) Constitutes a group of official observers who will participate in the yatras and other yagnyas and provide on the spot reporting of any harassment by zealots or non-cooperation by the State authorities.
4) Constitutes a team of legal experts to determine what avenues should be pursued if there is continuing religious persecution .
