All J&K Pensioners Welfare Association - an amalgam of senior citizens of civil society observed one day hunger strike on Saturday to oppose the proposed separate township for Pandits colony for Sainiks.The Association members headed by a Kashmiri Pandit Sampat Prakash assembled at Press Enclave here on Saturday morning and began hunger strike in a makeshift tent. Talking to media persons, Prakash termed Government of India’s proposal of setting up of Pandit and Sainik colonies a conspiracy to destroy “ethos of Kashmiriyat.”“The three lakh pensioners will take to lanes and by lanes of the Valley and will launch state wide agitation in case government continues to pursue ‘nefarious designs’ against our brotherhood and Kashmiryat,” he said.“These three lakh pensioners will come on roads along with their sons, daughters and grandsons and granddaughters,” he added.He said, “seed of hatred are being sown to divide Muslims and Pandits of Kashmir Valley.
Government of India wants to create wedge between the communities on the pattern of Israel- Palestine conflict”. Prakash said there are some fringe elements that are asking for separate townships. “Black sheep are present in every community and these fringe elements are just a handful of people, they do not represent the sentiments of whole Pandit community. In fact some of the ancestors of these people were RSS leaders here”.“We will fight against this conspiracy with united hands with all our might to shut the mouth of these conspirators who are hell bent to erode Article 370, special status of J&K and unity among different communities belonging to different religions in the state,” Prakash said.The main objective behind observing this hunger strike is to protect centuries old cultural heritage and brotherhood. It is not only me but there are thousands of Pandits who have been closely associated with me in trade unionism and civil society movements and they all oppose the proposed move of the government to create separate townships for Pandits,” he said. (CNS)