Welcome Mufti taking up Sharda temple issue with PM: APMCC

The All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) today hailed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for taking up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the long-pending demand to reopen the Sharda temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Mufti today called on Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi and pleaded for working to reopen Sharda Peeth, an ancient seat of learning, and develop it like Nalanda and Takshila.

Mufti had yesterday assured a delegation of the APMCC, the organisation representing Kashmirs Pandits, that she would place before the prime minister their demand.

"We welcome Chief Minister Mufti for taking up the demand for reopening of Sharda Peeth, ancient place of learning in the name of Goddess Shard Devi in PoK with PM", APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit said.

Pandit, who met Mufti at her residence yesterday, said the Government of India (GI) should take up the issue with Pakistan for facilitating Hindus of J&K to visit the PoK shrine on permit system on the lines of Cross-LoC travel.

The APMCC had held protest demonstration, and Pandit held Hunger strike twice for 10 and 15 days each in Jammu and Gujarat for reopening of the cross LoC temple.

Sharda Peeth, an abandoned Hindu temple located in Sharda village, is situated along the Neel River in PoK near the Line of Control. It was a major centre of learning at par with the ancient seats of learning Noland and Maxilla.

During the meeting, Mufti apprised Modi of the overall situation in the state, stressing on the need to end the cycle of violence by addressing alienation among the youth.

She said the people of the state, having suffered immensely during the turmoil of past three decades, are looking up to the country's political leadership to support them in getting out of this cycle of uncertainty and deaths.