VHP, Cong protest, BJP, HJM also join chorus
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 5: The Panjvakhtar Temple issue is snowballing into a big controversy with various Hindu bodies and political organizations up in arms against the Government decision of constructing a parking slot on the temple land.
Various Hindu organizations and political parties including Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Jagran Manch, (HJM) Congress and BJP have openly raised their voice against the decision and warned that they will not allow construction of parking slot at the land of the historical temple which is also named as “Rupiaoon Wala Mandir” by the people.
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Showing its deep concern over the issue VHP held a protest demonstration in the temple premises and said it is committed for welfare and protection of Hindu shrines, temples and properties as well as other assets belonging to them.
The VHP leaders including its working president Rajesh Gupta who led the protest later talking to reporters said the matter raised by Suresh Sharma, Receiver/ Caretaker of old & historic Panjvakhtar Temple at Jammu regarding a tender floated by National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. for construction of a multilevel parking and commercial complex at temple land without taking a formal consent from Receiver/Caretaker, the official custodian of temple assets, is a very grave misconduct and uncalled for action which VHP strongly condemns.
It said now that the tender stands withdrawn by the NHIDCL on September 3 after the attempted violation was objected by VHP, it is demanded that NHIDCL and JDA, the local Government agencies associated with this project, should clarify that how they initiated tendering process without taking a formal consent from the temple property caretaker.
The caretaker of temple property and devotees associated with temple are apprehensive of some nefarious plan of some influential people to grab temple land for ulterior motives under the garb of this project. VHP stands by their apprehension and warns the authorities from taking up any such move and seeks all details of this project to be made public, role of JDA and NHIDCL in initiating tendering process without the consent of temple management, who gave the authority to a PSU, NHIDCL, and the rights to initiate tendering process to develop a third party land and enter into an association with another agency without the legitimate consent of land owners, and investigation into possible involvement of external agencies/individuals to drive benefits out of this project, tendering process for which stands aborted temporarily by NHIDCL.
Congress which openly jumped into the temple land issue by holding the dharna in the temple premises extended full support to the management of temple led by district and Session Judge, (Retd) Suresh Sharma appointed by the High Court for the cause besides seeking high level probe and registration of FIR against all those behind it and demanded immediate resignation of Mayor JMC, Chander Mohan Gupta.
It accused the Mayor of JMC and others for clandestinely striking a deal to grab prime land of ancient and historical temple of Jammu to give benefits to some private players. Congress demanded registration of FIR against all those who were involved in one of the biggest land scam of Jammu city.
“The way BJP led JMC has hatched a conspiracy to grab land of country’s one of the unique temple, has exposed that only aim of the Saffron Brigade is to mint money through all illegal means besides vote bank politics on religious issues, Congress leaders said while addressing a press conference at PCC office here after the senior leaders held a sit in dharna in the temple premises along with Judge Suresh Sharma and other prominent citizens, PCC leaders including Raman Bhalla Former Minister and vice president, Ravinder Sharma, chief spokesperson JKPCC, Yogesh Sawhney former Minister and incharge DCC Jammu, Ritu Choudhary local corporator, Gourav Chopra, Neeraj Gupta media secretary PCC and Suresh Dogra chairman OBC besides others demanded immediate resignation of BJP Mayor.
Congress leaders said that exposure of the scam has not only exposed real face of BJP leadership but this incident has also hurt religious sentiments of the people because Panjvakhtar Mahadev temple is the most revered shrine of Jammu province.
“The self-proclaimed pro-Hindu leaders have been exposed after exposure of this land scam”, Congress said and added that retired District and Session Judge, Suresh Kumar Sharma, who is caretaker of the temple was forced to approach the Court to restrain the BJP led JMC from grabbing a prime piece of land of Panchvaktra Mahadev temple, the worth of which is in crores.
BJP JK UT president, Ravinder Raina also warned against any interference in the temple issue by the Government. Talking to Excelsior Raina extended his full support to the devotees fighting for the preservation of the historical temple. He said it is an old temple where pooja is being performed for many years and no body will be allowed to take the control of the land belonging to temple. He warned against altering the status of the temple land.
Raina said that Government is allotting land to Dharmik places and it is strange that in this case the land of a temple is being grabbed by Government which will not be allowed at any cost.
Maintaining that no power on earth can grab the land of the temple president Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), Ram Paul Sharma today said that demolishing of the temple will be over the dead bodies of Manch activists. It is the old temple which is also known as Rupaioon Wala Mandir and we will not allow any alternation in its position.
Ram Paul said his organisation is going to hold a meeting with devotees of the temple and its care taker within a day to decide the future course of action and launching of agitation in this regard. He said any attempt to grab the land of temple will have serious consequences.
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