Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 13: Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust during its special meeting held at Badshah Kalandar Ashram, Patoli said that the community of exiled Kashmiri Pandits is wary over the continued delay in the enactment of the Shrine Bill for the protection, preservation and management of the temples and shrines in Kashmir.
The meeting noted with disappointment that despite all the political parties agreeing publicly that they support the passage of Shrine Bill have not legislated it. This is especially true of the parties sharing power now. The meeting pointed out there was a pressing need for enactment of the bill for protection and preservation of the temple in the trouble torn Kashmir.
The meeting was presided over by Roshan Lal Pandita.
Others who attended it included Dr R L Bhat, M M Thaplo, H L Bhat, Sundri Lal Koul, Shadi Lal Koul, B L Zar, K L Bhat. They demanded that Government should enact the shrine bill as the first measure to assure the exiled community that it is sincere in its rehabilitation and return to the Valley. The speakers pointed out that over the past few years the State legislature had passed half a dozen bills for various temples in Jammu division but no action has taken place in regard to the Shrine Bill.
The speakers also pointed out that the police pickets at different shrines were not restored, though this was one of the basic demands raised by the delegation of the Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust when it met the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti last year. Mehbooba had specifically assured the delegation that the police protection of the Shrines would be restored immediately and got the point noted, yet no action has been taken. Today the shrines are lying unprotected, he added.
PNBMT once again reiterated that Shrine Bill was one of the most sensitive demand of the community and should not be jettisoned in the way it has been over the past years. The community is getting restive and would mount an renewed agitation for the enactment of the Shrine Bill.
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