Sandeep Bhat
Jammu, Feb 26: The Chairman of the select committee on better management, protection, administration and governance of Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious places in the State and for matters connected today presented the report with the bill in the Legislative Assembly.
The bill was introduced in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on 9.3.2009 and subsequently taken up for consideration and passing on 5.4.2013, At this said stage the Motion for reference of the bill to the select committee of the House was moved by Members, Javed Ahmed Dar, Aijaz Ahmed Jan, Peer Afaq Ahmed and Ashok Kumar, which was adopted by the house, and held Seven sittings in all.
It is pertinent to mention here that in edition of Early Times dated 24 Feb, 2014 a news item title, KASHMIRI HINDU SHRINES, TEMPLES BILL TO BE TABLED IN Current session, has already said that despite opposition by the local legislators ,the bill regarding this will be tabled in the current session.as per the report, the bill seeks to provide for better management, protection, administration and governance of Kashmiri Hindu shrines and religious places and their endowments including the lands, buildings attached in the Kashmir province except Leh and Kargil due to disturbed conditions in the Kashmir valley in the year 1990, the majority of the Kashmiri Hindus left the valley and the Hindu shrines remained unattended.
There were complaints that properties of these Shrines have been encroached and most of them are I deteriorated condition. Many associations and bodies of the community have shown concern in this behalf.
In order to protect the said Shrines, the bill provides for survey of Kashmiri Hindus Shrines in the valley, and other things.
MLA west Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta who is also a select committee member in this report said that the proposed bill, along with those religious places which have become abandoned or encroached upon and therefore need Government protection, also covers all the Hindus religious places and various other trusts, sabhas, temples and ashrams etc. in the Kashmir valley even though the functioned normally and have been duly managing their property since before and after the outbreak of militancy such as Dharmarth Trust, Sanathan Dharam Partap Sabha, Prohite Sabha Mattan, Chander Chinar (Badha Akhara) Trust, Narad Muni Trust, Dhasnami Akhara, Trust, Abhi Gujar Trust, Narayan Muth Srinagar, Hanuman Mandir Trust and Ram Jiwan Dass Trust etc should be totally excluded from the purview / jurisdiction of the proposed bill.
Dr, Mustafa Kamaal MLA National Conference from Hazratbal in this report said Kashmiri Pandits in one voice are demanding that a board be constituted covering all Hindus Shrines of Kashmir Valley irrespective of their present condition & they give the example of J&K Muslim Wakf Board.
A R Veeri. M Y Tarigami, Hakeem Mohd Yaseen all members of select committee want the passage of this bill without any amendment and in its original form, while Harshdev Singh and Ashwani Sharma want this bill to be passed with amendment. Talking to early times, Mir Saifullah Minister for parliamentary affairs and Chairman of select committee said that the bill on Kashmiri Hindus Shrines and Religious places will be passed in the current sessions.
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