All India Kashmiri Society President, Ravindra Pandit, on Tuesday accused the central government of negligence in securing the right to worship at Sharda Peeth. Sharda Peeth is an ancient Hindu temple located in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
At a press conference in Shringeri Math in Daraganj, Ravindra Pandit stated, 'Under the India-Pakistan agreement, only those Kashmiris who have relatives in PoK can visit Sharda Peeth. But since no Kashmiri Hindu has relatives there, they cannot go.'
He mentioned that last month, during the Mahakumbh, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Shringeri Peeth's Shankaracharya Vidyushekhara Bharati Ji to assure him of the government's efforts on this issue. However, no specific timeline has been provided by the government yet.
Appeal to International Court of Justice
Ravindra Pandit claimed that Sharda Peeth, located just 10 kilometers from the Line of Control (LoC), is now facing encroachments. He warned, 'If the Indian government does not take action, we will approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or be compelled to cross the LoC.'
Application for LoC Permit
Ravindra Pandit, who has raised this issue on multiple platforms, revealed that he applied twice for an LoC permit to visit Sharda Peeth. However, citing treaty restrictions, the Indian government rejected both applications. He further urged the central government to take concrete steps for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits and to establish a shrine board for the protection of temples in Kashmir.
