Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 25: Minister for Medical Education, Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports, R. S. Chib today said that Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits and expressed the hope that they would return to their homes.
He was addressing a function here today.
The programme, attended by the leaders of different Kashmiri Pandit organizations, is organised every year on December 25 to discuss various issues faced by the community and to exhibit dedication for their larger cause- returning to Kashmir.
Exhorting the Kashmiri Pandits to return to Kashmir, Chib said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his other cabinet colleagues want that Kashmiri Pandits should return to Kashmir as “without Kashmiri Pandits, the Kashmiriyat is not complete”.
He said he was hopeful that Kashmiri Pandits will return to Kashmir soon. He thanked Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for the steps taken for mitigating the problems of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
Commenting on the demand of Temple Bill, Chib assured the gathering that State Government has already sent the bill to the Law Department for consideration and hoped it would be passed.
He said that Omar led Coalition Government is for maintaining the sanctity of not only temples but also of Mosques, Gurduwaras, Churches and all other religious places.
He informed the community leaders that State Government has already supported the enhancement in the relief package from Rs 5000 to Rs 10000 and has sent the file to the Central Government for approval.
Earlier, Kashmiri Pandit leaders like Rakesh Kaul, President, Kashmiri Samiti, Delhi (KSD), Vijay Raina, Vice President, KSD, Dr Romesh Raina, General Secretary, All India Kashmiri Samiti, CL Gadoo, former President, KDS, Sunil Shakhdher, former President, KSD, Dr LN Dhar etc apprised the Minister of their demands.
Earlier, the Minister was given a warm welcome and felicitated with a shawl and memento.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel