A Kashmiri Pandit leader today said the Central and state governments were "not sincere" for the return of community members, who had migrated from the Valley due to militancy over two decades ago.
"Pandits want to return to the Valley, but the governments at the Centre and the state are not sincere. We appeal to them to show sincerity so that the community is able to return to their homeland," All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) chairman Vinod Pandit told PTI.
Pandit said as the situation in Kashmir is improving, more Pandits are visiting the Valley year after year and asked the government to help in the revival of the temple culture.
"We celebrated Zestha Ashtami today at Mata Tripur Sundri Khanbarnan at Devsar. Around 15,000 people paid obeisance at the temple, which APMCC revived in 2006. There are many other places where we want the government to help us to revive them," he said.
A Puja was also organised at Mata Khirbawana Asthapan at Manzgam where 7,000-8,000 people participated, Pandit said.
Devotees met minister of Tourism G A Mir, and appealed to him to include the temples in pilgrim tourism, he said.
Meanwhile, Mir said the government would develop three pilgrim tourism circuits one each at Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions to promote pilgrim tourism.
"Jammu and Kashmir was also rich in pilgrim tourism and to develop pilgrim sites with infrastructure facilities, the government has mooted a comprehensive project report of Rs 150 crore to the Centre for funding development of Sufi circuit in Kashmir, pilgrim circuit in Jammu and Buddhist circuit in Ladakh," Mir said.
Mir said the Central government has in principle agreed to provide funds for creation of the circuits in the state.
The tourism minister said that around eight shrines of south Kashmir would be developed under Sufi circuit Kashmir.
He said that a detailed project would be also formulated for landscaping of these shrines.
Mir said the Kheer Bhawani Mela serves as a reminder of communal harmony between Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits as the majority community makes almost all the arrangements for the stay of the devotees at the place of their worship.
Increase in the number of Kashmiri Pandits visiting Kheer Bhawani during last few years is an "encouraging phenomenon", he said.
"Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of the culture and ethos of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat and their return to the Valley is the cherished goal and yearning of the government and the civil society," he said.
