Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 21: Pandit Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) today castigated the State government on its double speak and failure to convene the meeting of the Joint Select Committee (JSC) members examining the passage of the Shrines Bill.
The Trust spokesperson, Dr R L Bhat said that for a change the State government and Baba Ram Dev stand on the same page when it comes to opposing the passage of the Temples and Shrines Bill. He said that making a common cause to the baseless opposition of the famous Yoga Guru the State government has finally shown its chameleon colours when it comes to upholding the secular ethos and culture of minorities in the State of J and K.
He said that the government never looked serious to pass the Bill and only resorted to double speak and empty rhetoric. He further said that the State Government has now given in to the threats of Baba Ram Dev who had vehemently opposed the passage of the Bill without seeing the merit of the Bill and its total impact upon building the confidence of the displaced Hindus of the State prior to their return to the valley.
Dr Bhat questioned the sagacity of the State government when only on 17th August the chairman of the Joint Select Committee examining the Bill had categorically said that the government will not give in to the threats of Baba Ram Dev and go ahead with the passage of the Bill. The government for no reason said Dr Bhat had to finally succumb to the pressure and threat of the Yog Guru and other vested interests as it failed to ensure the meeting of the Select Committee members. Lambasting the coalition government, he questioned the will of the government to pass the Bill in the incoming session of the State Assembly.
Hira Lal Bhat another senior member of the Trust expressed shock and dismay over the unwarranted opposition to the Bill by Baba Ram Dev. He said that the Hindus of the State in general and Kashmir Pandits in particular respect the Yoga Guru and wished he had a thorough look into the various aspects of the Bill.
He expressed hope that the learned Yoga Guru will soon see reason and support the passage of the Bill.
Meanwhile KPC chief Kundan Kashmiri expressed doubts that opposition to passage of the Bill has really come from Baba Ram Dev who recently released a book on Kashmiri Hindu shrines at Haridwar. The KPC team comprising of Kashmiri , senior Delhi BJP leader, K L Gudu and Sarla Kaul apprised Baba about the bad state of temples and shrines in Valley, a KPC statement said.
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