Jammu, Sept 25: Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust shall launch the second phase of public awareness campaign for the passage of the Temples and Shrines Bill to dispel the disinformation being spread in some quarters regarding the struggle of the Shrine Bill. This was stated by Dr R L Bhat, chief spokesperson of PNBMT at the conclusion of the general body meeting held at Badshah Kalandar Ashram, Patoli, Jammu.
The meeting conducted by General Secretary Shadi Lal Koul was presided over by Dr A N Pandita Chairman PNMBT and attended by Dr. B L Hando, R L Bhat, Virinder Raina, Sundri Lal Koul, B L Zar, Kashmiri Lal Bhat, B L Bhat, H L Bhat, M K Bombro, Shiban Khaibri, Pradeep Koul, Rajinder Razdan, M K Raina, M L Ganjo, Manmohan Thaplo, and other members. Speakers at the general body meeting made it clear that the struggle for the enactment of the Shrine Bill was not directed against any individual or trust operating in the valley. It is the unequivocal demand of the community for setting up an elected Shrine Board and not a nominated one. The Shrine bill struggle arose when the community came to know that certain established trusts and managements were selling temple lands and properties in Kashmir after the terrorist disruption in 1990. It is a struggle against the vested interests which have been misusing and misappropriating the religious lands in collusion with the land mafia.
Accordingly the General Body of the PNBMT has decided to launch the second phase of public awareness campaign to inform the community about the various mechanizations to break the community consensus on the Shrine bill and press upon the powers that be for an early enactment of the Shrines bill. The members also warned that temple properties are being vandalized and hundreds of temples have disappeared accordingly to press reports. The speakers again called upon the ruling coalition to honour their promise of fulfilling this long standing demand and enacting the Shrine Bill at the earliest. |
