LADAKH: The Muslim community in Ladakh has embraced the resolution of a longstanding dispute by welcoming the allocation of land for a Buddhist monastery in predominantly Muslim Kargil, the Tribune reported on Monday.
After more than five decades of contention, a “bhumi pujan” ceremony marked the commencement of the monastery’s construction in Kurbathang, Kargil, attended by local social and political leaders.
Haji Hanifa Jan, Ladakh’s MP, expressed gratitude that the Buddhist community’s enduring request for land had been fulfilled, underscoring this gesture as a testament to true communal harmony.
The event saw prominent Muslim leaders such as Mohd Jaffer Akhoon and Kacho Mohd Feroz from the Kargil Hill Council join Buddhist counterparts, signaling unity and cooperation.
Mohd Jaffer Akhoon highlighted the significance of this step in advancing communal harmony, assuring that developmental initiatives for both Buddhist and Muslim communities would face no obstacles.
The controversy stemmed from a 1969 governmental decision altering construction permissions for the monastery, which was finally resolved by allotting land in Kurbathang in 2022 through the LAHDC, Kargil.
Activist Sajjad Kargili commended the local populace for resolving the issue through dialogue and urged further cross-community support, suggesting reciprocal gestures such as assisting in the construction of an Imam Bargah in Zanskar, allocating land for an Eidgah in Leh, and aiding the renovation of a mosque in Bodh Kharbu.
