Temples Destroyed in Kashmir by Islamic Militancy To Be Reconstructed

July 28, 2006

Om Namah Sivaya

inwww.rediff.com

SRINAGAR, INDIA, July 25, 2006: An amalgam of 16 Kashmiri Pandit Organizations have formed a trust for restoration and reconstruction of over 200 temples and shrines destroyed by Islamic militancy in the valley and demanded financial aid from the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir. "We have launched Kashmir Temple Trust for reconstruction of all the temples and shrines destroyed in 17 years long militancy period in valley," All Party Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) chairman Vinod Pandit told reporters here on Monday. He said we have urged Kashmiri Muslims, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to help us in the reconstruction of the places of worship. The APMCC has constructed and repaired temples and associated religious places in Rupabhawani, Vaskura (Ganderbal), Kheerbhawani (Devesar), Siva temple and 5,000-year old Deities at Dab Wakura. Two shrines of Prayag (Sangam--Shadipora) and Kheerbhawani Manzgam are under construction. There are as

many as 200 temples and other shrines which have been either damaged or destroyed in the militancy and over 100 places which have been forcibly encroached in the valley, he said. "We will also help the Muslim majority community in the valley to preserve major shrines which are in shambles like Uma Nagri, Manzgam Kheerbhawani, Omh, Vethvatur, Jawala Bagwati shrines in the valley in first place," Pandit said.

Sivaya Namah

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