Early Times Report
Jammu, July 5 : General body meeting of Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust, the Nodal organization of Hindus of Kashmir spearheading the Shrine Bill has demanded that the government should fulfill its promise of enacting the Shrine Bill. The general body meeting held at Swami Atmaramji Ashram Gosian Gund, camp Bohri, attended by representatives of organizations, trusts and intellectuals, pointed out that government and other political parties have expressed their total commitment to protection of the Hindu Shrines and Temples of Kashmir. The community is waiting for the politicians to fulfill that duty. Those present in the general body meeting included Swami Kumarji, P N Trisal, A N Sadhu, A N Pandita, R L Bhat, R K Bhat B L Saraf (Kapal Mochan, Shopian), B L Pandita, (Sw. Kral Bab Ashram) M K Raina (AIKS), M K Raina (Jawalaji Khrew), B L Bhat (JKVM), Shuban Khaibri, C L Pandita, , A K Braro, (K P Sabha), Mohan Lal, R K Koul (Arya Samaj. The speakers at the meeting were emphatic that the struggle for transparent and democratic management of the temples and shrines of Kashmir is a united aspiration of the Hindus of Kashmir and that they would not allow individual interests or isolated trusts or the Dharmarth employees to sabotage the movement for their personal and vested interests. "Will the president of Dharmarth care for any temple if he is removed from his post tomorrow?" asked the speakers.
The movement for the temple and shrines bill is a struggle of the Hindus mass of Kashmir who is naturally, normally and inalienably concerned with this heritage and faith. The general body reiterated that they are not opposed to any sadhu maharaj or purohit worshiping at any temple or shrine. The bill will not displace any of them or interfere with the mode of worship.
The speakers, however, were emphatic that the temples and shrines must not be treated as the private properties and cannot be allowed to be sold, mortgaged, or otherwise alienated for private use or to fund private enterprises by anybody. The bill is only to protect the religious properties against that misuse and to manage them in an open democratic way by an elected Shrine Board composed of all Hindus of Kashmir including Pandits, Dogras, or Punjabi Hindus living in Kashmir. The speakers wondered why the parties and people swearing by the unity of Hindus wanted to divide the Hindus of Kashmir into Pandit Hindus, Dogra Hindus, Punjabi Hindus etc. what does 'our temples' mean? This is private, vested interest, speaking!
The bill abolishes the vested interest of individuals and prevents misuse of the religious properties for private purposes. This is a common struggle of all Hindus for the public good. The general body lauded the efforts of the Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust in this struggle and resolved to fight the vested and private interests in the religious properties. The general body emphasized that the neither the struggle for the bill nor the nodal organization PNBMT want to capture any temple or throw out any management. The whole movement is for the passage of the Shrine Bill, to create an open elected system for the management and protection of the religious properties, which would be open to all Hindus of Kashmir. The meeting resolved to intensify the struggle for the passage of the shrine bill and pursue it at all costs. |
