New Delhi, June 16: Over half-a-dozen organizations representing various sections of Kashmiri Pandit community have rejected J&K interlocutors report recommending repeal of all central laws from the state.
 They feel that the move would have a demoralizing effect on the displaced community and to the contrary demanded abrogation of Article 370 of the constitution giving special status to J&K.
 A delegation of the representatives of these organizations, under the aegis of Kashmiri Pandit Conference, met President Pratibha Patil here and sought her intervention on the various issues related to the rehabilitation and resettlement of the community members at “safer consolidated places” in KashmirValley to ensure their peaceful co-existence with other sections of the society. At the same time, they demanded that the Centre should issue a white paper on the ongoing insurgency and its effects on the people and order a judicial probe into what they termed “ethnic cleansing” of the KPs.
 They sought President’s intervention for the enactment of a law for the protection, promotion and development of religious places of Hindus. “A law akin to the one governing the shrines belonging to other religions should be enacted by the state assembly,” a memorandum submitted by them to the President demanded.
 At the same time, the delegation further demanded that immediate steps should be taken to start pilgrimage to Sharda Temple located in Muzaffarabad. Also, a Shardha Peeth University should also beset up in J&K at the earliest.
 Drawing President’s attention to the problem of unemployment prevailing among the displaced community, the community leaders demanded seven year age-relaxation for the over-aged Kashmiri Pandit youth for employment in the Central and state government departments and grant of one time financial help of Rs 25 lakh to each over-aged youth.
 Expressing concern on the distress sale of the property left behind by the displaced community, they have demanded that all such sale-purchase deals should be declared null and void. Unauthorized occupation and encroachment of land and tampering of revenue records should be looked into and exemplary punishment should be given to the guilty.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST