A UK delegation of ten members from various Hindu organizations led by Shri Sanjay Jagatia, General Secretary, Shri Umesh Sharma Chairman of Hindu Council UK visited India related to a number of projects that concerns the British Hindus in the UK. The visit highlighted the following projects/issues of the UK Hindu Communities:
- Educational matters
- Gita Jayanti
- Gaushala projects
- Yoga and the science of Ayurveda
- Kashmiri Pandits/Kashmir conflict
- The Alliance of Hindu Organizations UK projects.
The delegation visited the BJP Head Quarters in New Delhi on 6th December in the morning for a meeting with Dr.Vijay Chauthaiwale, In-charge of Foreign Affairs Cell and Overseas Friends of BJP , Vijay Jolly, Senior BJP Leader and President Delhi Study Group and the other Officials of the BJP. The above mentioned topics were tabled for discussion, especially the concerns for KPs rehabilitation in the Valley were taken up with Dr.Chauthaiwale and with Vijay Jolly. They assured us that Shri Nirendra Modi, the Prime Minister, has been extremely proactive in addressing the Kashmiri Pandit rehabilitation issue. They further stated that the exiled Kashmiri Pandit issue was totally and entirely a matter for the Government of India to resolve and the interference from Britain or any other foreign country will not be tolerated. The message was loud and clear that Kashmir was an integral part of India .Just to mention that our lobbying the British MPs and holding demonstrations and conferences in the UK, as has been done in the past proactively by the IEKF, will not cut ice any more. The effective lobbying for KPs requires to be done in India, involving the Indian politicians and the Indian Government.
The delegates were invited to lunch in the afternoon by His Holiness Pundrik Goswami ji at his New Delhi residence ,the lunch was followed by an evening meeting with the All India Kashmiri Samaj, Apex Body on Indian and Overseas Kashmiri Pandit Organizations. The minutes of the AIKS’ meeting are attached separately.
On Sunday 7th December the delegates attended the Gita Jayanti celebrations at Red Fort in New Delhi, hosted by Swami Gyananandji Maharaj. It was an uplifting experience to be part of this celebrations. The dignitaries from all over the world were present and participated in the Gita Jayanti event. The delegates interacted with various Government Officials,unfortunately, the chief guest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not able to come due to the unexpected shooting and crises in Srinagar just a few hours before the start of the Gita Jayanti function. Modi ji had to rush to the Valley after having an urgent meeting with his ministers. As a result of the situation in J&K our meeting with the PM didn’t take place but we did have a short encounter with Sushma Swaraj.
The delegates proceeded to Vindravan on Monday 8th December morning and stayed as guests at His Holiness Pundrik Goswamiji’s Ashram. Whilst in Vindravan the delegates called on his Holiness Swami Gyananandji Maharaj and received his blessings and also copies of the signed Holy Gita. Shri Devesh Krishanji and Shri Vishavnath Tiwariji from His Holiness Swami Pundrik Goswamiji’s Ashram made sure that the delegates visited all the important landmarks and temples in Vindravan which included a guided tour to all the well known locations.
On Tuesday 9th December the delegates visited the Gaushala projects and paid a visit to his Holiness Sanjiv Krishna Thakurji. His Holiness Sanjiv Thakurji is closely associated with Modiji’s work on Kashmiri Pandits ,particularly with the temples in the valley .The issue of Kashmiri Pandits and the other various issues were discussed with him. There is a lot of support for Kashmiri Pandits and their cause form His Holiness Sanjiv Krishna Thakurji .I am sure he will be happy to lobby with us the Indian Government for the exiled Kashmiri Pandits and their rehabilitation in the Valley.
His Holiness Sanjiv Krishna Thakurji is well known for his work on the save the cows in India.
Before leaving for Haridwar the delegates visited Her Holiness Ritambhara Didi Maa,at Vatsalya Gram .Visiting Vatsalya Gram is an experience that one would not like to miss. Vatsalya Gram has been established under the holy guidance of Didi Maa where the atmosphere of the ancient Gurukulas has been resurrected.
In Haridwar the delegates stayed at Patanjali Yog Ashram and called on Swami Ramdevji on Thursday 11th December. It was indeed a spiritual experience to receive blessings from Swami Ramdevji and discuss with him the plight of displaced Kashmiri Pandits. The plans for putting the World Yoga Day in the UK were mentioned at the meeting.
Following to the visit to Swami Ramdevji, the delegates held a meeting with Acharya Balkrishnaji in his office ,discussing various aspects of Ayurvedic medicine and the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. Acharyaji mentioned that Sh. Avtar Krishna Kaul ,a Kashmiri Pandit, in Delhi had been working with the Indian Government on the Kashmiri Pandits issue and Acharya ji wished me to contact Shri Kaul in Delhi. Acharya ji was very inspiring and reassuring about the matters that we raised with him. He is a great saint of the spiritual tradition of Yoga and Ayurveda in India. It was very impressive to see him deal with our queries and questions straight away.
The delegates visited the Yog Gram on their way to Rishikesh. It was greatly inspiring to see the unique health science developing in Yog Gram with the co-ordination of science and Spiritualism .
At Rishikesh the delegation stayed at Parmarth Niketan Ashram as guests of His Holiness Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Pujya Muniji) .Some of the delegates had a chance to meet Pujya Muniji’s and receive his blessings on Friday 12th December in the afternoon and visit Parmarth Niketan,the Ganga Arti before returning to Delhi on Friday in the evening.
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AIKS HOLDS MEETING WITH HINDU COUNCIL UK AND THE DELEGATES FROM
THE UK
Date 6th December.
Dr.Romesh Raina welcomed the delegates from the UK. The presentation of the bouquets of flowers was made to the delegates by the senior AIKS team.
Dr. Raina gave a detaied account of the AlKS ‘ proposed charter of demands
presented to the Govt. of India
Mr.Gautam Kaul stated that the people are trained for terrorists activities and parochial States governance of two families in J& K is not helping. There is no continuity in economy. Pandits do not trust their Muslims neighbours. He further stated that the floods in the valley has been a huge disasters and it may change the dynamics , AIKS has been involved in the relief work and has reached out to all small villages . Both communities, Hindus and Muslims need help but there are too many lies coming out of the Muslim community. Mr.Kaul further welcomed the delegates.
Krishna Bhan thanked Dr.Romesh Raina and the AIKS Executive for facilitating the meeting with the UK delegates. She further stated that IEKF greatly appreciates the work of AIKS for the Kashmiri Pandit community.The HCUK and IEKF have been working closely for the Internally displaced Kashmiri Hindus since 2005.HCUK has had a huge input in getting Baroness -Nicholson’s report on Kashmir accepted by the European Parliament in 2007. Both organizations have worked together in raising the awareness of the plight of Kashmiri Pandits among the British Parliamentarian. Shri Moti Kaul, the outgoing President of AIKS attended two conferences in the House of Commons and one meeting with the various Hindu organizations . In September 2014 , IEKF in association with HCUK organized a conference on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits in the House of Commons and also to oppose the adjournment debate secured by David Ward MP to highlight the human rights of Kashmiri Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir. HCUK and IEKF issued a briefing document in order to give the viewpoint of the Kashmiri Hindus. As a result of the briefing document and strong lobbying we succeeded in getting David Ward’s appeal rejected by MPs and MEPs. Sanjay Jagatia played a huge part in the conference and in making sure that the briefing document was given to every MP and MEP.
Krishna Bhan
President of IEKF
20 December 2014