Pandits to educate people in US, Europe on Amarnath land issue

New Delhi, Jun 30 (UNI) Kashmiri Pandits will take the fight for the Amarnath Shrine Board land, the issue which has rocked Jammu and Kashmir during the past few days, to the US and Europe.

A delegation of Panun Kashmir Movement (PKM), a frontline organisation of Kashmiri Pandits, left here today for the US and Europe to highlight and educate the people about the Amarnath land issue and their demand for a separate homeland.

Other issues that will be highlighted during the month-long tour include displacement and plight of Kashmiri Pandits following ''genocide and ethnic cleansing'' in Kashmir valley in 1989-90 and human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The delegation, headed by PKM Chairman Ashwini Chrangoo, will visit several places including New York, Washington, Boston and Amsterdam.

The visit, at the invitation of the Kashmir Overseas Association (US) to attend its silver jubilee celebration in New York, is part of the 'Kashmir Sankalp Yatra,' an annual 'yatra' (tour) to educate the people in other states and countries about the problems being faced by Kashmiri Pandits.

''The current crisis over the Shrine Board issue shall be in focus during the entire Yatra,'' Mr Ashwini Kumar told UNI.

He said there is a ''paramount need'' for awakening the world about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits and the 'yatra' was part of that programme.

UNI RB AKJ KP1620