The Buddhist minorities in Kargil have been raising voices against the Muslim majority who have been opposing the reconstruction work of an ancient Gompa
Buddhist Monastery in Kargil. Image for representational purpose only. PTI
Massive protests are underway in Kargil where the Buddhist have been stopped and obstructed by Muslim clerics from renovating the ancient Gompa (monastery). The Buddhist minorities in the region are raising voices against the Muslim majority in the city who have been opposing the reconstruction work.
Angry over Muslim clerics, Buddhists in Kargil have been carrying out agitation and are once again scheduled to hold a rally on today.
It is worth mentioning that Kargil has never witnessed such divide and has never experienced religious riots.
For the unversed, Buddhist teacher and speaker Choekyong Palga Rinpoche, with an aim to raise awareness for the restoration of the Gompa, is leading an ‘Eco Pad Yatra’ which started from Leh towards Kargil on 31 May. However, a section of Muslims raised objection to it.
Choekyong Palga Rinpoche aims at laying the stone of a monastery at a controversial site in Kargil and the issue holds a position of importance as members of both communities, had, for the first time, forged an alliance last year to raise their demand for the 6th Schedule for Ladakh to safeguard the local heritage, culture and rights of people.
However, since then, the Kargil Democratic Alliance or KDA, an association of social and religious organisations, have written to the Deputy Commissioner stating their apprehension that the march was politically motivated and could disturb communal harmony in Ladakh.
The letter stated that the KDA held a meeting with representatives of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) regarding the Gompa construction and both parties agreed the issue must be resolved amicably. It went on to add that under such circumstances, a third person having no stake in the matter was trying to disrupt peace in the region.
Chief of the Kargil unit of the LBA, Skarma Dadul has meanwhile said that they do not want to create any tension but it is their right to have a place of worship.
Notably, Kargil residents have opposed the monastery construction on a 2-kanal land, citing a 1969 government notification, as per a report in One India. It states that the land can be used for commercial and residential purposes but not for the construction of a temple.
Earlier a ToI report stated that locals had said Buddhists do not live within 20 km of the land and that the current building there is a Buddhist guest house and should remain so. Members of the Buddhist community have, however, accused locals of not allowing them to even carry out repair works on the building.
As per reports, 15 March, 1961, the then-Government of Jammu & Kashmir, General Department, Ladakh Affairs, sanctioned the land to Ladakh Buddhist Association for the construction of Buddhist Temple and Sarai. It was clearly mentioned in the order that religious construction was allowed on the land.
However, in 1969, the government issued another order, stating that the land allotted to LBA could only be used for the construction of residential or commercial buildings and refused to allow religious construction on the land.
The debate over the land has been raging ever since.
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