The move attains political significance as the Centre had recently appointed former top spy Dineshwar Sharma as interlocutor in Kashmir
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has made yet another attempt to expand the dialogue on Kashmir and end the "separatist narrative" that identifies the state with just the Valley as an affiliated body would be celebrating the birth centenary of the best known Buddhist lama of Ladakh Kushok Bakula Rinpoche.
The RSS has always maintained that the mainstream narrative regarding Kashmir was exclusivist, having over-emphasised the significance of the Valley, while not giving due pride of place, political as well as social, to the other regions of the state, such as Kargil and Ladakh, which constitute majority of the state. Such, narrative, RSS believes gives more say to the separatists voices. The move attains political significance as the Centre had recently appointed former top spy Dineshwar Sharma as interlocutor in Kashmir.
RSS' primary affiliate working in Kashmir, Jammu Kashmir Study Centre (JKSC), in association with Himalayan Sanskriti Sanrakshan Sabha would be celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche on November 23.
According to JKSC functionaries, while Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan would inaugurate the event, RSS leader Suresh Soni would be the chief guest on the occasion. What lends more weight to the commemoration is the representation of the state, most probably by deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh.
"Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will be inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Buddhist saint Kushok Bakula. The 19th Kushok Bakula is recognized by the 13th Dalai Lama as a direct disciple of Gautam Buddha and is popularly considered as the architect of modern Ladakh, the largest region of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Kushok Bakula Lobzang Thupten Chognor is considered as GOD figure in Ladakh, Russia, Tibet and Mongolia because of his social and spiritual contributions," said Abha Khanna, JKSC's Director (Media).
The acclaimed Buddhist saint was also a statesman and diplomat. He was elected to the Parliament, and was deeply engaged with welfare, education and rights of Scheduled Castes and Tribes of India. In his later years, he became India's Ambassador in Mongolia. In 2005, the Leh airport was renamed as the Kushok Bakula Airport.
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