Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 3: Various ground level working Management Committees of temples and shrines of Kashmir Valley have asked the government to pass the pending Temple Bill without any dilution and include each and every temple under the purview of the proposed Bill. They warned if government keeps any temple away from the purview of the Bill no management committee would let their temples to be taken over by the proposed Board. Addressing a press conference All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) National Spokesperson and Vice President Gangbal Trust King Bharati alongwith representatives of various temple management committees working in Kashmir Valley said that two meetings of the representatives of different temple management committees working on ground in Kashmir Valley for the past several years were held recently where the proposed Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill commonly known as Temple Bill and the recent developments regarding it were discussed threadbare.
"Afterwards the management committees passed a resolution offering some suggestions to the Bill besides warning the government of any attempt to keep the temples of some influential people out of the purview of the Bill," he said.
Bharati added that representatives of various ground level management committees have resolved that a diluted temple Bill won't be acceptable to them 'as it were these management committees working on ground level in Kashmir who are the real stake holders of the temple movement in Valley.' He also listed the proposed 15 amendments suggested by the working committees adding if the government tries to accommodate certain influential people by keeping temples under their control out of the purview of the Bill they will be forced to launch an agitation and won't let the temples under their control to be taken over by the proposed board. Bharati and other speakers reminded the government about APMCC's warning that a 'Kafan Yatra' from Kashmir to Kanyakumari would be launched to fight any dilution of the temple bill adding his organization was in favour of a full-fledged temple bill to cover all the temples and shrines of entire J&K state in the second phase.
Som Nath Saraf of Kapal Mochan Trust Shopian said that Temple Bill should not be diluted in any way and original Bill with amendments like inclusion of ground level committees elected by local villagers be incorporated in the Bill.
TK Dhar, of Mata Tripur Sundari reiterated that all temples irrespective of the influence must be brought under the purview of the Bill and treating the existing temple management bodies as the first management body of each temple while Shuban Pandita of ZDPC Srinagar, insisted on continuing the unique traditions, rituals and festivities of the individual temples.
Girdhari Lal Bhat of Kheer Bhawani Tikkar and Bansi Lal Pandita, of Shardha Asthapan Commitee Gund-Gushi, Kupwara, Suresh Pandita, Secretary (Sharda Mata Trust, Bandipora) and Sanjay Trisal of RAF Rainawari underlined that the existing temple management committee's should have the voting right to elect the members of the Board. Speakers said that the copy of the resolution would be sent to the president of India, Prime Minister, leaders of opposition in both houses of Parliament, Sonia Gandhi, Raj Nath Singh, Governor of J&K, CM of J&K, Speaker, Chairman Select Committee, Law Minister, all members of Select Committee, all ministers, all MLAs and other leaders.
Besides Bharati, National Spokesperson All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC/Gangbal Trust), Yoginder Singh Jamwal (Mata Katyayani & Bhoot Nath Temple Kakran, Kulgam), Girdhari Lal Bhat President (Mata Kheer Bhawani Asthapan, Kupwara), Suresh Pandita, Secretary (Sharda Mata Trust, Bandipora), Sohan Lal Raina, Secy Sadhu Ganga Asthapan Kupwara, Adv Arun Kandroo Gen Secy APMCC, Vimarsh Koul (APMCC), Sanjay Trisal, Rainawari Action Forum (RAF), Bansi Lal Pandita, President Shri Shardha Asthapan Committee, Kupwara, Sumesh Raina of APMCC. |
