Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: The office bearers and members of 10 Trusts and organizations managing various shrines in Kashmir Valley today said that the stated purpose of the Hindu Religious Places and Shrines Bill is for taking over those Hindu religious places which are in ruins or have been encroached upon due to the mass exodus of Kashmiri Pundits from Valley, therefore there is no justification what so ever to include such Hindu temples and shrines under the purview of the Bill which have been functioning normally and were not damaged in any way.
In a joint statement, issued here, today president, J&K Dharmarth Trust. secretary, Udasin Akhara Trust. president, J&K Barahamin Sabha. president, Sanathan Dharam Sabha. president, All J&K Sadhu Samaj. Mahant, Peer Kho Temple, Jammu, president, Hanuman Mandir Trust, Srinagar. secretary, J&K Sanathan Partap Sabha, Srinagar,Mahant Narinjan Nath, Srinagar. Mahant, Abhiganj Trust, Srinagar and president, Bala Ram Jiwan Dass Trust, Srinagar said the temples and the religious places which are managed by organizations that are legally constituted and which are self-reliant and autonomous should not be brought under the purview of this Bill.
They said 50 odd temples which have survived in the turmoil, are managed by the trusts and various other organizations under most adverse conditions but also attract thousands of Hindus at large across the world, it would be a great injustice if these religious places are taken over by the Government. Moreover these organizations are protected under Article 26 of the Indian Constitution. Any attempt to interfere with these temples may invite adverse reaction across the country specially Jammu province. Therefore it would be prudent for the Govt. to save these Hindu Temples by excluding them from the Bill and earn the goodwill of the Hindus across the world.
These organizations have appealed the Government to respect the sentiments of the Hindus. While the peace is returning in J&K, the Hindu religion faces crisis for survival in the Valley, they said, adding Sadhu, Sants, Mahants and Trusts protected their temples with the help of local communities throughout the turmoil in the Valley at the risk of their lives.
They said the Government .plans to takeover these temples through a medium of Legislation. In the interest of Hindu religion “we appeal to the Government, the Members of the Assembly and the people of the State to ensure that 50 temples run by them are kept out of the purview of the Bill.
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