Delhi 03 March(KNB): Ashok Bhan, a well-known Kashmiri leader and a senior advocate, addressed a Kashmiri function in the National Capital Region (NCR) and expressed his concern over the plight of the people of Kashmir, who have been victims of the 1947 conflict and the subsequent armed insurgency that led to the displacement of the entire indigenous religious minority and the killing of innocent civilians by non-state actors, brutalized anti-people groups and other actors.
He said that recognizing the urgency of addressing this situation, the Kashmir Peace Lovers (KPL) group has actively established a strong connection with the Kashmiri youth across the far-flung areas of the valley by organizing almost 60 cricket league matches and other intra-cultural activities. These activities promote dialogue and societal healing, and contribute to emphasizing the imperative of fostering peace, justice, and inclusivity in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
He added that the KPL group has been conducting cultural programmes, youth conferences and interactions highlighting the urgent need to end the sordid and brutal phase of societal devastation, death and destruction that has engulfed the entire South Asian region in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular. He said that the KPL group aims to promote peace, harmony, justice, dignity and honour of the people and build an inclusive and empowered society.
He further said that the KPL group has formulated a comprehensive reach-out programme and will be organizing big events in Kashmir to forge a union of minds towards ending the trust deficit between various sections. He said that there is a dire need to revive the glorious past of Kashmir, which is rightly described as the cradle of civilization and the holy land of science and innovation with divine grace of spirituality through ages.
He quoted the famous Persian poet Amir Khusro, who said: “If there is heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.” (Agar Firdaus bar rōy-e zamin ast, hamin ast-o hamin ast-o hamin ast)
He said that it is no surprise that despite the mass exile and genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, the natives have channeled their anger, passion and energy into positive pursuits and the initiatives of the KPL group are one such example towards the direction of removing the trust deficit between various sections and working towards helping in the revival of the glory of Kashmir and bringing it to the pedestals of the cradle of civilization.
He said that it is admirable that the KPL platform is engaged in transforming the youth towards the power of sports and culture and creating a harmonious tapestry of shared values, inclusivity and societal well-being. He said that harnessing the potential of sports as a catalyst for positive change, the KPL group aims to empower the youth by providing access to sports programmes and fostering physical well-being, teamwork, leadership and personality development.
He said that celebrating the rich tapestry of Indian-Kashmiri culture, the KPL group strives to nurture and harness mutual community talent in culture. He said that Kashmir deserves Kashmiri Pandits physically back in the soil to create a humongous and conducive ecosystem of nurturing newer talent in all walks of life and help in formulating a new inclusive, violence-free, coexistence and tolerant Naya Kashmir.
He concluded his speech by saying, “For Kashmiri Pandits, acknowledging the past but seeking meaning in the present and actions for future can be a powerful way to navigate their collective experiences. This day can help the community to choose how they respond to their past positively and shape their collective attitude towards the future optimistically, where they grow as a community and continue to give their best irrespective of which place, region, country, profession, they serve. Yet they stay rooted together as a diaspora and continue expressing, and asserting a shared hope for return to their homeland. The narrative must be created that instils a sense of unity, a collective vision for future and is also sloganized as, ‘In Unity We Thrive, In Return We Strive’. Next time, see you in Kashmir.”(KNB)