Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 6: The activists of Swami Mirzakak Trust Hangalgund, Kokernag held a protest at Jagti today against the failure of authorities in demarcating the land of Parkak Samadhi a saint of medieval Kashmir and Hangla Devi Shrine at Hangalgund village in Kokernag tehsil of Anantnag district of Kashmir Valley.
The protest was led by the president of the Trust, Bushan Lal Hangloo and its general secretary, Avtar Krishan Pandita. The members of Kashmiri Pandit community from other areas also participated in the protest and demanded that the possession of the land be immediately given to the Trust which has already started construction of Hangla Devi temple there.
The protestors said that with delaying tactics by the authorities some un -scruples elements are eyeing the land of this ancient shrine of Hangla Devi which dates back to Puranic period and the name of Hangalgund village has derived from the shrine. The protestors said under a hatched conspiracy some land mafia active in the village after the mass exodus of Pandits are trying to grab this land by hook or by crook and despite the repeated pleas to Revenue Department they failed to hand over the land to the shrine.
The protestors said that a minority community councilor of Kokernag Municipality who tried to save the religious places of minorities as well as majority community in the area is being humiliated and harassed by the authorities and she was forced to flee from the area after being harassed by the officers of Kokernag Development Authority (KDA) and forcibly evicted from the Government accommodation.
The protestors said if such an inhuman treatment is given to a public representative belonging to minority community the claims of Government on rehabilitation and return of Pandits and safeguarding their left over properties seems totally an eye wash.
The protestors in an appeal to Deputy Commissioner Anantnag have sought his immediate intervention in the matter and settling of issue once for all. They also demanded that the councilor belonging to minority community should not be unnecessarily harassed and humiliated and officers responsible for the same should be dealt under the law.
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