Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 9: Accusing the National Conference (NC) and Congress of sabotaging the Kashmir Hindu shrines and Temples Bill in the Legislative Assembly on April 5, Kashmiri Pandits today warned to boycott the alliance partners in all the forthcoming functions till a written assurance is given on passage of the Bill during next session of Assembly.
This was announced by Dr Agnishekhar convener Panun Kashmir and Dr K N Pandita at a joint press conference of KP organizations organized by Pandit Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust here.
The KP leaders made an appeal to the community members to boycott both the parties by not inviting their leaders in any community function in view of their dubious role on Shrines and Temples Bill. They said the boycott will continue till a written assurance comes from Government on the Bill which is hanging in balance for last more than four years.
“Terming the role of coalition partners totally betrayal on the Bill, Dr R L Bhat spokesperson of the Trust said it is unfortunate that while the opposition MLAs supported the Bill the coalition sabotaged it by raising certain unjustified points to send it to Select Committee’’.
Maintaining that there was no reason in sending the Bill to SC, he said that some forces were opposing it but it should not have come as an impediment in its passage as these forces were even opposed to creation of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board or Swami Amarnath Shrine Board but Government did not gave ear to them while passing the Bills.
“No third force can be responsible before us for sabotaging the Bill except the Government which constitutionally is duty bound to ensure protection of minorities, their institutions and their religious places in the Valley’’, he said, adding. “they failed to protect our life and limb as well as our movable and immovable properties in Valley and now they are not even interested in safeguarding our religious places which are the cultural monuments and symbols of community’s faith’’.
He warned that community can go to any extent in safeguarding its religious places in Valley. The community in exile wants that Bill be passed immediately for protection of over 800 temples and Hindu shrines in the Valley, he added.
Terming the sending of the Bill to SC as a “sinister design of the coalition,” Dr Agnishekhar said the community was expecting it and hence it is neither shocked nor was surprised over the decision. He also did not spare those community people who are playing to galleries saying that rare bills have come back from SC for passage so far.
Government complicated the issue itself by sending the Bill to SC, said Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, president PK and added that it will become an issue not only at state but at national level now. This decision has thrown a challenge to the community, which has to resolve that it will overcome the challenge, he added.
Chrungoo said all temples in Kashmir belong to Hindus and all steps have to be taken that all Hindu religious places of the Valley are governed in the Bill. Dr K N Pandita said that after the Maharaja’s rule all endowments went back to their original care takes and no one has right to create hurdles in passage of the Bill.
Kundan Kashmiri, president KPC said that some external forces are against the Bill and he endorsed the demand of boycotting the political leaders on the community functions till the Bill is passed. He also accused the Government of trying to appease these forces by not bringing the Bill.
Swami Kumar Ji said that unity in the rank and file of the community is only mantra for passage of the Bill.
H L Chatta, president ASKPC said that Shrines Bill is the jugular vein of the community and “we will not rest till Bill is passed.” H L Jatu said that the remote control on the Bill lies at Delhi as some forces don’t want the safety of Hindu religious places in Valley to grab and sell them. He said maximum land of shrines has been grabbed and now the Government was eying the remaining so they sabotaged the Bill.
Warning that no trading will be allowed on the Bill, M K Jalali President Sharika Peeth said that though Government sabotaged the Bill the community will fight it unitedly. While chairman of the Trust Dr A N Pandita accused the Congress and NC of making hollow slogans on secularism and socialism saying that they have not yet come out of feudal mentality.
Endorsing the demand, KHC leaders M L Thusoo, PL Koul Badgami and K L Ganjoo said that Congress NC has shaken the community faith and community should not invite its leaders in the forthcoming functions.
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