AIKS AGM Report

- AIKS AGM Report




AIKS AGM Report

Alka Lahori Handoo 

All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) held its Annual General Council Meeting th (AGM) on 17 December 2023 at YMCA, New Delhi. The event had an impressive gathering and was a smooth affair without any disruptions. The meeting had to be adjourned due to the lack of the quorum. However later the quorum was full and brimming with affiliate heads and representatives, Patron and Life members, and also some distinguished guests/ members of the community in attendance. Notable among the Affiliates were Dr Gautam Koul and Shri VK Dhar from KHWA Karnal, Shri Ravi Bhat and Shri Anil Koul from Bahadurgarh, Shri A K Raina AIKS Vice President for Jammu and Kashmir region and many more.

AIKS Executive team and Consultative Group members were in full attendance, including its Special Invitees and Patron member Padamshri Prof Rameshwar Nath Bamezai, Pt Ravinder Pandita of Save Sharda Committee and Dr I K Kilam, VPs Shri S.K Bhan, Ms Alka Lahori and Dr Manorama Bakshi, Editor-in-Chief 'NAAD' Shri Uma Kant Kachru and Editor 'Vaakh' Dr. Roop Krishen Bhat. Other distinguished patron and life members in attendance were S/Shri AshutoshTaploo of Tikka Lal Taploo Foundation, Sanjay Saproo, Vijay Kashkari, Maharaj Krishen Pajan, Sunil Shakhdar. The meeting presided over by the President Dr Ramesh Raina was conducted by General Secretary Shri Puran Patwari as per the agenda circulated in advance.

The meeting began by observing two[1]minute silence for all those community members who have attained nirvana and martyred soldiers and army personnel who have fallen to the bullets of pro-Pakistan terror groups.

The proceedings began by President Dr Ramesh Raina making an address and dwelling on theme of three years of activities and performance of AIKS achieved under the aegis 'Affiliate Connect' Programme and bringing more and more affiliates under its umbrella like KHWA Karnal and KHS Telengana becoming its new affiliates in 2023. He spoke at length about 'AIKS Vision Document' unveiled in January 2022 which culminated into 'Ambala Declaration' at Ambala conclave in January 2023 delineating the aspirations of the 'migrant community' with respect to their Return and Rehabilitation policy and calling for 'Legitimate Minority Space for Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir and creation of three townships for the displaced community— 'Both the documents were sent to all MPs and movers and shakers of political system in the country including PM and Home Minister', he added. Dr Raina also informed the House about the Intervention Application ( IA) the Apex organization filed in the SC in support of Abrogation of Article 370 and 35A—'It was the glorious moment for KPs when AIKS filed IA was given a slot for hearing by the SC, in its day to day hearing of the petition challenging the constitutional validity of the abrogation, and our Advocate Shri V Giri put forth the arguments on behalf of the community supporting the controversial Article”, he said, while adding that the Senior SC Advocate had appeared for the community pro-bono. In the

end, Dr Raina spoke about the need for Apex Organization having a 'permanent address' either in NCT Delhi or its NCR which received enthusiastic and positive response from the General Council members with Dr IK Kilam pledging a sum of ten thousand on the spot and Dr Gautam Koul joining him with another ten thousand from KHWA Karnal as donation. Dr Raina also spoke about his term coming to an end in 2024 and announced that elections would be held in March-April in keeping with the democratic traditions and norms of the organizations-- 'though the cycle of elections was disrupted last time due to Covid and elections were delayed and held in August 2021 instead in March-April', he concluded.

Major take- away of the AGM were on two counts

  1. In keeping with the mood of General Counsel with respect to stalemate over Shakti Nagar Plots where the other side of the agreement, Koshur Samachar, was playing a hide and seek game, the House constituted a committee, nominating Dr I K Kilam and Shri Maharaj Pajanas members who would try to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of AIKS General Counsel and terms and conditions of mutually agreed Joint Management Committee (JMC) and find an amicable and lasting solution to the issue.
  2. Regarding litigation over AIKS Trust, the House constituted another committee, nominating Pt Rohit Dhar, Dr Manorama Bakshi and Shri Sanjay Saproo, as its members who would make efforts to find an amicable solution to AIKS Trust issue for the larger community interests.

It was the time for General Secretary to read the AIKS Activity Report and also minutes of previous General Council meeting which were approved by the House. Accounts statement was read by AIKS Treasurer Shri Sunil Koul and were also approved by the House with some minor clarifications sought and attended to by Pt Rohit Dhar AIKS VP. The House also approved the membership application of new patron and life members and Kashmiri Hindu Welfare Association Karnal (KHWA) and Kashmiri Hindu Sabha (KHS) Telangana were formally added as affiliates to the large AIKS family.

Dignitaries who spoke were led by Shri A.K Raina who briefed the house about the latest status of Civil Writ Petition pending in J&K High Court. He lauded the efforts of team of community Advocates/lawyers led by Shri P.N Raina and Shri P N Goja and Shri Ravinder Bhat and Shri Kashmiri Lal who, he said, are pleading pro-bono on behalf of the community and religiously attend the hearings.

Editor- in- Chief NAAD, Shri Uma Kant Kachru spoke about his experiences, a judicious mix of agony and ecstasy, editing and bringing out a monthly community magazine NAAD, while bemoaning the fact that financial compulsions had been forcing us to resort to cost cutting measures and printing hard copies in less numbers. He again urged the members to make the prestigious community journal a self-sustaining entity by helping it get more advertisement support. Vaakh Editor Dr Roop Krishen Bhat also spoke about his ordeals in bringing out Vaakh, the Kashmiri language journal. He said he was facing difficulties on two fronts-- financial and content as there were now fewer people writing in Kashmiri. But both stalwarts agreed that it was a labour of love and much cherished community activity for them.

Pt I K Kilam lauded the leadership qualities of Dr Ramesh Raina whose dedication and diligence, he said, had brought AIKS back to its glory. Pt Sunil Shakhder also paid rich tributes to the genius that Dr Raina has always exhibited as community leader. Pt Ravinder Pandita of Save Sharda Committee paid fulsome tributes to the current AIKS team headed by Dr Ramesh Raina and said that AIKS was the only KP organization with a focused agenda. Dr Gautam Koul while hailing the community outreach programme of Dr Ramesh Raina, said that Kashmir Hindu Welfare Association Karnal was very proud to be part of the Apex organization. Shri Ashutosh Taploo was all praise for the AIKS programmes.

AIKS VP Dr Manorama Bakshi presented the expression of gratitude to the august General Council members. It was followed by a high tea.

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Courtesy: Alka Lahori and January 2024, Naad

 

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