PRESS RELEASE
New Delhi
2nd. June’2018
Ahkil Bhartiya Sant Samiti raises demand of re-opening of Sharda pilgrimagein POK.
Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti , a conglomerate of various religious organisations & Mutts raised the voice of re-opening of Sharda pilgrimage in POK, in New Delhi today. While appreciating the efforts of Save Sharda Committee Kashmir (Regd.) for re-opening of the pilgrimage that has not been held for the last 70 years, the Head of the Samiti Swami Hansanand said that the issue would be taken up at appropriate level. The Samiti held a press conference at Constitution Club in New Delhi today to highlight the issues concerning Hindu samaj. Swami Jitendranad of Kashi Mutt in his inaugural address appreciated and named Sh. Ravinder Pandita, Head & Founder of Save Sharda committee for his ongoing struggle. In a statement the founder & Head of the committee Ravinder Pandita said that their delegation had met CM recently and apprised her of the recent efforts made by the committee for re-opening of LoC religious places including Sharda Peeth in District Neelum of POK. Ravinder Pandita, founder of the committee reiterated the need for an amendment in LoC permit for travel to PoK that is meant for J&K residents. He demanded that MEA should immediately take up the matter with their counterparts in Pakistan for resuming the pilgrimage on the lines of Sikhs going to Nankana Sahib in Lahore every year. It may not be out of place to mention that the last yatra to Sharda- the basic seat of learning was in 1947 by great saint of Kashmir Swami Nand Lal Ji, who used to live in Sharda in pre-partition era.
Recently the Committee has received an order from Supreme court of AJK, in which the court has highlighted the previous judgements on preservation of Sharda Peeth – the highest peeth of Hindus and Shankracharya mutts throughout the country. The GOI through PMO has also made an admission in January this year by assuring Save Sharda committee that a symbolic yatra to Sharda Peeth should take place this year on a special visa for 3-4 pilgrims. Save Sharda Committee Kashmir (Regd.) is a pressure group working on the re-opening of the pilgrimage on the lines of Nankana sahib yatra in Lahore, Pakistan by Sikhs every year.
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Source: World Hindu News (WHN)