J&K: Over 1,400 temple properties in Jammu and Kashmir are reportedly under illegal occupation, with an estimated value of over ₹25,000 crore. In response, the Jammu and Kashmir Sangharsh Samiti has demanded a special law to protect the properties of Kashmiri Pandits – like the existing Waqf Act that protects Muslim religious properties.
The committee has warned that if the government fails to act on their demands then they will have no option but to approach the Supreme Court for justice.
J&K: Kashmiri Pandits Call for Law Similar to Waqf Act
Amid the Waqf dispute, Kashmiri Pandits have demanded a special law to protect Hindu religious places in Jammu and Kashmir. The Sangharsh Samiti says that since the 1990s, when thousands of spiritual Pandits fled Kashmir, there has been large-scale encroachment on the community’s temples and religious lands. More than 1,400 Hindu temples and their properties are either under threat or destroyed.
According to the Sangharsh Samiti, the illegally occupied temple properties have either been converted into large shopping complexes or are lying deserted. The committee visited some of the temples in Srinagar where illegal encroachment has taken place. Some of these temples are still deserted and in ruins, and their properties are in a neglected state.
The Sangharsh Samiti has also alleged that these encroachments have been done with the support of both political and administrative people. The Samiti has said that if the passed Waqf Bill benefits the Muslim community, then they demand the formation of a Sanatan Board on the same lines, which can work for the protection of temples all over India and Kashmir.
Improvement in Kashmir Conditions Encourages Pandits’ Return, but Hindu Properties Still Vulnerable
It is important to note that some Hindu religious properties have been restored in Jammu and Kashmir over the past several years. However, many properties are still abandoned since the 1990s. While the improvement in conditions has encouraged Kashmiri Pandits to return to their homes, those who left Kashmir are appealing to both the Central and Union Territory governments to enact a special law similar to the Waqf Act to protect Hindu properties.
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