Defense News ,Pok :- In a recent development, the Save Sharda Committee (SSC) held a press conference in Bangalore, urging the Indian government to intervene and address the alleged encroachment by the Pakistan Army on the Sharda temple premises in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). The committee, dedicated to the restoration of the Sharda temple, expressed concern over the occupation and called for the removal of what they claim to be a coffee home erected by the Pakistan army on the temple grounds, in defiance of a court order.
Founder of SSC, Ravinder Pandita, asserted that despite a favorable judgment by the Supreme Court of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir on January 3, 2023, the Pakistan army had proceeded with encroachments and the establishment of a coffee home on the Sharda Peeth premises. He emphasized the need for the Indian government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to address this issue and ensure the restoration of the sacred site.
Pandita highlighted the collaboration of civil society in PoK, echoing SSC concerns about encroachments and damages to the boundary wall. He called for the reopening of Sharda Peeth for devotees to undertake pilgrimage, emphasizing the committee commitment to its cause.
Expressing the gravity of the situation, Pandita issued a stern warning that if the coffee home is not removed by the Pakistan authorities and its army, SSC would mobilize a march to the Line of Control (LoC), with supporters prepared to cross it in protest. Additionally, he urged for Sharda Peeth to be designated as a UNESCO heritage site, underlining its cultural and historical significance.
Providing a glimpse into ongoing efforts, Pandita informed reporters about the launch of a dedicated website offering comprehensive information and a travel guide for pilgrims and tourists. The website focuses on the newly reconstructed Sharda temple at Teetwal and a Sikh gurudwara that once stood at the same location before 1947 but was destroyed in tribal raids.
The construction of the new Sharda Yatra Temple at Teetwal, inaugurated virtually on March 22 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, received support from the Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Mutt in Karnataka. Teetwal, historically a base camp for devotees heading to Goddess Sharda shrine before partition, has seen approximately 10,000 pilgrims visiting the newly inaugurated Sharda Yatra temple and gurudwara since March this year.
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