Excelsior Correspondent
AMBALA (Haryana) Jan 23: All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) held its two day All India affiliate meet at newly constructed Kashmir Bhawan, Kashir Sabha, Ambala. The meet was attended by most of its affiliates from across India, with messages pouring in from its overseas affiliates like KOA, US and IEKF, UK.
During the meet AIKS Ambala Declaration 2023 making a demand for a legitimate minority space for Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir including acknowledging them as a minority and formation of a Minority Commission to look into their grievances and find solutions was adopted.
The programme was anchored by Bharat Sopori and AIKS vice president, Dr Manorama Bakshi.
At the outset the House was apprised about the active support and personal contribution of Minister for Home and Health, Haryana Government, Anil Vij, towards the construction of the Bhawan. The participants paid glowing tributes to the Minister, and putting on record his magnanimous gesture towards the exiled community. A.K.Wattal the president of the Ambala Sabha said that— It was because of his personal involvement of Anil Vij that the Kashmir Bhawan took a practical shape.
The morning session which was presided over by the president of AIKS, Dr Ramesh Raina, began with bestowing honours to Kashir Sabha Ambala through its president, Dr A K Wattal, who is also the vice president of AIKS. A brief account of the holocaust committed against Kashmiri Pandit community on the intervening night of 19th and 20th January, 1990 was given by Dr Manorama Bakshi, by recounting the atrocities committed against the hapless Kashmiri Pandit minority.
Dr Ramesh Raina in his keynote address described the holocaust of 1990 against the Kashmiri Pandits as an act of civilizational war which ultimately led to the exodus of the entire community lock, stock and barrel. He said that it was unfortunate in a world of enlightenment, rein of barbarism was all pervading in Kashmir. He recalled the scenes of brutal killings of Kashmiri Pandits carried out under the vicious doctrine of ‘kill one scare one thousand’. With political class and administration mute and tongue tied, the naked dance of death and destruction took an upper hand of the situation in the sordid drama of Kashmir. He cited the example of martyr Sarla Bhat who was first gang raped and then halved into two through band saw. The cruelty and inhumanity has become a now norm in the Valley, he bemoaned.
AIKS affiliated Units across the country and abroad participated.
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