The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum on Sunday paid tribute at a Punyabhoomi memorial meeting
organized at Government Padma Sachdev Women’s College, Gandhi Nagar here. While paying tribute to thousands of people of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), who were sacrificed in the Pakistani invasion of Jammu and Kashmir on October 22, 1947, people from all walks of a life remembered the holy land of their ancestors, Temples and Gurudwaras in PoJK. The displaced persons of POJK living in Jammu and Kashmir, besides the POJK displaced families settled in different parts of the country were present at the Tribute and PunyaBhoomi Memorial Meeting. The Chhamb displaced persons, who were displaced in 1965 and 1971, also participated in the meeting, which started with a patriotic song and presentation by the children of Ekal Vidyalaya.
After this, a special documentary film depicting the life of POJK refugees was screened during the event while mementoes were also presented to the guests. The tribute and Punya Bhoomi memorial meeting were addressed by the Peethadheeshwar Shri Shri 1008 Shri Swami Vishwatmanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Dharamdev Ji, Central Joint General Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dr Surendra Jain, famous film actor and producer Mukesh Rishi, Renu Bhatia. Prominent personalities like Brij Bhushan Bali, Mahant Manjit Singh and Mahant Swaranjit Singh.
Guru Gosain Brij Bhushan, in his address paying tribute to the martyrs of POJK, informed about the
Pakistani invasion on 22 October 1947 in the area of Jammu and Kashmir known as POJK and the
situation that arose after it. He explained how at that time thousands of people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir due to the Pakistani invasion, lakhs were forced to flee from their homes leaving behind all their movable and immovable property. The situation today has changed. POJK displaced have struggled in life and achieved many things in every sphere of society like judiciary, education, sports and business etc.
Chairperson of State Commission for Women, Haryana, Renu Bhatia, who is also a daughter of POJK
a displaced family from Mirpur, in her address, described the agony of every POJK displaced family who had suffered the pain of the Pakistani invasion in 1947 followed by displacement.
Noted actor Mukesh Rishi, who especially reached Jammu to attend the tribute and Punyabhami memorial meeting, described the exodus of the POJK migrants in 1947 due to the Pakistani invasion and the situation thereafter. He said that he, being a citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, understood the problems of the POJK displaced. The traces of what happened to the POJK migrants in 1947 are visible in the present generation of the POJK migrants as well. He said that many soldiers had also sacrificed their lives in Jammu and Kashmir due to the Pakistani invasion in 1947. “I salute every brave soldier of POJK,” he said.
Mahamandaleshwar Swami Dharamdev ji in his address paid tribute to the martyrs in POJK, describing the Pakistani invasion in 1947 as a tragedy. He also informed me about the work being done in Haridwar with regard to the POJK people.
Paying homage, Mahant Manjit Singh Ji discussed in detail the culture of POJK displaced society with
Kirtan Garh Gurdwara and Guru Hargobind Singh Gurdwara. Surinder Jain, National Joint General Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, while addressing the Tribute and Punya Bhoomi Memorial Meeting, discussed the role of social institutions at the time of the tragedy of POJK. He said that what happened to the society living in POJK 75 years ago should be known to the present generation. Jain said that it is not possible to describe the situation and events that arose after the massacre by the Pakistani Army in Mirpur in the POJK. He apprised the gathering about the Pakistani attack on Rajouri in 1947 and the situation after the Muzaffarabad massacre and the situation in Poonch along with the sacrifices made at Rajouri.
Atal Peethadeeshwar Acharya Mahamandleshwar Rajguru Shri Shri 1008 Swami Vishwatmanand
Saraswati Ji Maharaj, belonging to the displaced family of POJK, while paying homage to the virtuous
souls of the sacrificers of POJK, discussed the places located there like Maa Sharda Peeth, Mangala Mata Mandir etc. Later, Swami Vishwatmananda blessed everyone present in the meeting with blessings except for the displaced POJK community.
Earlier, a senior member of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum, Prof. Rajeev Ratan presented the vote of thanks.
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