Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: The State Government today rejected a Bill to provide for the better management, administration and governance of Shri Chandi Mata Machail Dham (Machail Yatra) for upgradation of facilities for the holy pilgrimage and matters connected therewith.
As MLA R S Pathania, who had moved the Bill, pressed for introduction of the same, the Speaker allowed voting, in which the Private Member Bill was rejected with a voice vote by the ruling PDP-BJP combine.
To register their protest against Government’s act of rejecting the Bill, National Conference MLA Devender Singh Rana and Independent MLA Pawan Gupta staged a vociferous walkout amidst criticizing the ruling BJP for its opposition to extending facilities to the Hindu pilgrimage.
In total eight Private Members’ Bills were introduced in the Legislative Assembly. While four bills were rejected by the House, one bill was withdrawn and three were introduced.
Maintaining that the Bill for Shri Chandi Mata Machail Dham should not be opposed merely on the ground that it has been moved by a Private Member, Rana stressed that formation of a Board would only facilitate the pilgrims. “We appeal Government not to oppose the Bill at its very introduction only because it has been moved by a Private Member. Primary role of Legislators is to bring Bills for making laws and not for distributing CDF,” he said and added that the Government may come forward with its own Bill if there was an obligation to necessarily oppose a Private Member’s Bill.
Independent MLA Pawan Gupta also lashed out at BJP for its complete surrender to the PDP even on the issues like Shrine Board for Chandi Mata Machail Dham. He was also heard exhorting BJP members not to kill their conscience for the sake of power.
MLA Doda Shakti Parihar also tried to say something to the Chair but his remarks were not audible.
R S Pathania, while highlighting the necessity and benefits of constituting a Shrine Board for Shri Chandi Mata Machail Dham, informed the House that Upper House has already passed a Bill in this regard. “This is not a ticklish issue and I don’t see any serious objection to my Bill,” he said and added that Sarv Shakti Sevak Sansthan, which was managing the annual pilgrimage for the last more than two decades, had also expressed its inability to further run the affairs keeping in view of increased number of pilgrims.
The Minister of State for Tourism, Priya Sethi, while opposing the Bill, said that the Chandi Mata Yatra was being conducted only for a brief period and constituting a Board for the same was not feasible. Besides, she added, the matter needs to be discussed with the stakeholders while the State Government and more particularly its Tourism Department were already extending all possible help in smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
The Minister’s assertion was strongly contended by Pathania, who alleged that Tourism Department was contributing zero to facilitate the pilgrimage, which was solely being managed by Sarv Shakti Sevak Sansthan.
As Pathania pressed for introduction of the Bill, Speaker Kavinder Gupta allowed voting. In the voice vote, the Bill was rejected by the Treasurery Benches while Devender Singh Rana and Pawan Gupta staged a walkout against the Government move.
Besides this, R S Pathania also moved “A Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Consumer Protection Act 1987 (LA Private Member’s Bill number 9 of 2016) and “A Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 (L A Private Members’ Bill No. 10 of 2016)”, which were introduced while his another Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Accountability Commission Act, 2002 was rejected after thorough discussions.
Bashir Ahmad Dar moved the Bill “To amend the Salaries and Allowances of Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Act, 1960. It was rejected by the House.
Dar also moved “A Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Members’ Pension Act, 1984, (LA Private Members’ Bill No. 25 of 2018)” and with amendment in Section 3 and Amendment in Section 3-B in the Legislative Assembly today. The Bill was introduced alongwith amendments.
Dar also moved “The Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the House and after thorough discussion, the MLA withdrew the Bill. He also moved “A Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2009, which was also rejected by the House.
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