Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 17: Shri Vaishno Devi Sewa Committee Baridaran (SVDSCB) has appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his election-time commitment made with Baridars, former caretakers of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, for adequate compensations to the community at par with Baridars of Shri Amarnathji Shrine and Triputi Ji Shrine.
“The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his election rally at Udhampur on November 28, 2014, had promised to solve the issues of Vaishno Devi Baridars, if voted to power in Jammu and Kashmir but till date it has not been fulfilled,” said Sher Singh, president of Shri Vaishno Devi Sewa Committee Baridaran, while addressing a press conference here today.
While informing that 30,000 souls of Baridars totally depended upon the offerings of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi to meet their day to day needs, he claimed that these people were now finding it difficult to meet their both ends as Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board took over the shrine without compensating them.
He said that the community only demands 40 percent reservations in employments in the Shrine Board as per qualification, scholarships to children of Baridars accruing educations, 10 percent seats for wards of Baridars in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and other educational institutes run by the Shrine Board like Shrine Boards of other Hindu Shrines, including Sher Amarnath ji Board, Tirupati, Ji, Jwala ji and already agreed by many administrators of the State.
Recalling the Prime Minister’s assurance to address the grievances of the erstwhile Baridars, Sher Singh lamented that despite BJP-PDP forming Government in the State the Prime Minister did not fulfill the promise he had made with the erstwhile Baridars of Mata Vaishno Devi.
“As we all know the Prime Minister is coming in holy town Katra again to inaugurate Super Specialty Hospital and attend SMVDU convocation, I would like to remind the Prime Minister to full fill his election promise and solve Baridars genuine issue,” he added.
The Baridar Committee vice president, Pt Shankar Dass, general secretary Pt Kavi Raj, secretary Shingar Singh, treasurer Sanjay Singh and others were also present in the press conference.
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