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| Transfer of Trikuta hills likely to trigger major controversy | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 19: There is a brewing resentment against the reported move of State Government to transfer and give control to Katra Municipality over 1,48,466 kanals of land on Trikuta hills originally belonging to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.
According to sources, the Government decision was taken at the behest of some local politicians who wanted to construct business establishments and hotels over the hillock is snowballing into a major controversy with various religious and social organizations strongly resisting the move and warning a decisive agitation.
Sources said that various Hindu and social organizations of Jammu which met here few days back while discussing the pros and cons of the decision warned to launch a decisive agitation in case the SRO issued in this regard was not withdrawn immediately. These organizations have also decided to unmask the land mafia turned politicians who are behind the decision, sources added.
Sources said that the leaders of these organizations have decided that a categorical ultimatum be given to the Government and it should be in categorical terms asked to desist from such a move which will have serious repercussions.
The leaders said that it indicated that the State Government was hell bent in vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu region with its anti people policies. The meeting, while citing the recent cloud burst example at holy shrine of Kedarnath in Uttrakhand where lot of devastation and destruction has taken place said that construction of commercial complexes over the Trikuta hills will pose a threat to the ecology of the area and in view of the recent Uttrakhand calamity Government should not go ahead with the decision.
Meanwhile, VHP State president Dr Rama Kant Dubey while expressing his dismay over the reported move of the Government said that the land was allotted to then Maharaja Gulab Singh after taking the reins of State administration in 1846.
He said that soon after taking over as the ruler of the State, Maharaja Gulab Singh visited the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi to pay his obeisance and perform darshan.
He said the Maharaja allotted 1,48,466 kanals and two marlas of land to holy shrine. He said Dharmarth Trust was already constituted and the Baridaran, pujaris and chowkidars of the shrine were kept on its roll as employees.
He said the land was allotted to the shrine for its maintenance and preservation of ecology of Trikuta hills.
Dr Dubey said that later Dharmarth Trust tried to take the land in its own possession and control. A case was filed in Revenue Court and in its judgment the then Revenue Commissioner and tehsildar made it clear that the land belonged to holy shrine and the Trust can't have any control over the same, he added.
The judgment further read that the decision of the Revenue Court was final and unchallengeble.
He said the SRO under which the Government has decided to bring the land under Katra Municipality for its management will amount to mismanagement and this way it will be a boon for land mafia.
He said the decision was taken on behest of a local politician who wants to establish commercial complex on the land.
Maintaining that the land belongs to Shrine, Dr Dubey demanded that the SRO be immediately revoked in this regard failing which there will be another andolan in Jammu on pattern of 2008 Amarnath land row agitation.
Terming it a serious issue he said that no one will be allowed to disturb the ecology of the Trikuta hills and shrine. |
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