SRINAGAR — As the national debate continues over the Waqf Amendment Act, Kashmiri Pandits are demanding similar legislative safeguards for Hindu religious sites in Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) has called for the establishment of a “Sanatan Board” to manage and protect temple properties, warning that it will escalate the issue to the Supreme Court if the government fails to act by June.
According to the KPSS, over 1,400 temple properties across the Kashmir Valley have been encroached upon, allegedly with the complicity of government officials and political figures.
“Forged sale deeds have been used, and such widespread encroachment wouldn’t have been possible without administrative support,” said KPSS President Sanjay Tickoo. “We demand a Sanatan Board, similar to the Waqf Board, to manage Hindu religious properties. Both boards can work together to foster communal harmony.”
Tickoo emphasized that the organization’s concerns go beyond property issues. “This is not only about temples. It’s about employment, dignity, and the continued human rights violations against the Pandit community,” he added.
The KPSS also criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for what it described as decades of silence on temple encroachments, accusing lawmakers of only now taking an interest due to the Waqf-related legislative changes.
“If the government fails to act within two months, we will approach the Supreme Court,” the organization reiterated in a statement.
The BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit has expressed support for the KPSS’s demands. Party spokesperson Altaf Thakur stated that Kashmiri Pandits have a legitimate right to seek the protection of their religious sites and properties.
“What our Pandit brothers are asking for is justified,” Thakur said. “Many of their properties were unlawfully occupied during their displacement. A protective bill is necessary, and the government must ensure these lands are safeguarded.”
The issue continues to draw attention across political and community lines, as displaced Kashmiri Pandits seek legal and institutional backing to reclaim and protect their religious and cultural heritage.
