VoL, March 19, 2022: The Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust and Jamiat Ulema Kargil strongly condemned the alleged attempts to spoil communal harmony in Kargil by changing the Sarai structure into “Kargil Monastery” by the Kargil Buddhist Association.

The Vice President Religious Affairs, IKMT, Sheikh Bashir Shakir and President Jamiat Ulema made the statements during the congregation held to mark the birth anniversary of Imam Mehdi, the twelfth Shia Imam here in Kargil on Saturday.

Sheikh Bashir said that the Buddhist community has already confessed that the structure at Kargil town is a Sarai. Both the clerics said that in revenue records the structure is recorded as Sarai and not as a monastery.

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But unfortunately, in surprise, the Kargil Buddhist Association (KBA) conducted a worship event at the structure naming it as “Kargil Monastery” on Friday when the people were busy in Friday prayers. The KBA has also installed Buddhist holy flag called “Tarshok” at the structure.

Sheikh Bashir further said that the peaceful Buddhist community is not to accuse of this act, but only some politically motivated elements are consistently trying to spoil the peace and breach law and order in the district. In winters, in a press conference, the above-mentioned Buddhist organization falsely accused Kargil of oppression of minority communities and tried to spoil peace, but to no avail. This move is another attempt to spoil the communal harmony between the Muslim and Buddhist communities and between the Kargil Democratic Alliance and Apex Body Leh.

Sheikh Bashir further said that the Buddhist Community after deliberation with Kargil Democratic Alliance and Council Administration has agreed to construct a monastery at Kurbathang. Sheikh Nazir said that the Council has allocated four Kanal land for the community, but to change the Sarai to a monastery is unfortunate. This is not against the construction of a religious structure, as Gurudwara and Temple is already existed in Kargil but the communal motif against the recent move is concerning. Both Sheikh Nazir and Sheikh Bashir condemned the UT Administration for not declaring off on Shab-e-Baraat.