Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 16: Pt. Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) convened a significant meeting here, today, which was attended by a large gathering of community activists. The discussions centered on crucial issues affecting the Kashmiri Pandit community and highlighted the importance of participation in upcoming elections.
Chairman of the PNBMT, C.L.Pandita in his address, appealed to the Kashmiri Pandit community to actively participate in the upcoming Assembly elections. He emphasized that exercising one’s franchise is the right of every citizen, urging the community to turn out in large numbers to demonstrate their presence and influence in the political landscape.
He emphasised that in democracy numbers matter and when we turn out in large numbers political parties would be forced to take up the pressing issues affecting the community. Moreover a number of community candidates are participating in the elections and we have also to encourage them by our active participation.
Pandita also announced that the annual Amateur Journalist Award, a prominent initiative of the Trust, is scheduled for October. He revealed that the Selection Committee has started process for nominating awardees asking members to suggest names for potential recipients of this prestigious Award.
Retired District and Sessions, Judge B.L. Saraf stressed the urgency of intensifying the movement for the passage of the Temple and Shrines Bill. He called upon all political parties to prioritize this demand, stating that the passage of the Bill would serve as a major confidence-building measure for the displaced KP community. He said that the return and rehabilitation of the community with constitutional guarantees on the principle of non refoulment which is the corner stone of KP politics and passage of the Temples Bill will bolster the confidence and morale of the community in exile.
In the meeting tribute were also paid to Dr.B.L.Pandita well known scholar of economics, a HoD at Delhi University and an author of several books from Ramhall, Anantnag who left for his heavenly abode recently. He was remembered as a man of letters and a great scholar.
The prominent who attended the meeting included Kuldeep Raina, M.K.Jalali, Moti Lal Malla, K.L.Bhat, Behari Lal Zar, Ramesh Marhatta, Bansi Lal Zar, M.K.Raina, M.M.Thaploo, H.L.Bhat, S.L.Bhat and Navin Handoo.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Sundri Lal Koul, secretary of the Trust.
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