KPs protest for early passage of Shrines Bill

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 16: The Displaced Kashmiri Hindus held a dharna at Press Club here, today in support of their demand regarding early passage of Shrines and Temples Bill pending with State Assembly.
The dharna was organized by Pt. Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust a nodal agency spearheading the struggle for passage of the Bill.
The representatives of the village and Mohalla temples committees, prominent leaders, intellectuals of the community and others participated in the protest.
The protestors warned against exclusion of any shrine or temple from the purview of the Bill.
The prominent who addressed the protest included Swami Kumar Ji, senior trustee Yash Basin, Dr KL Chowdhary, Dr R L Shant, Dr A N Pandita, Pardeep Khodbali, B L Saraf, A K Raina, A N Bhat, B L Bhat, H L Bhat, Shadilal Koul,  Sundri Lal Koul, Pyarelal Raina, J L Pandita, P N Goja, Manmohanji Thaploo, M K Raina, Mohanlal Comarade, Opinder Ambardar, UmeshJi, T N Raina, K B Kaw and Kuldeep Raina.
Besides, the general secretary Kranti Dal Preetam Sharma and president Dharmarth Sudhar Sangarsh Samiti, Karnail Chand also joined the protest and demanded that all shrines and temples be brought under the purview of the Bill.
The protestors said that the community will not rest till Bill 2 of 2009 for the protection, preservation and maintenance of the temples and shrines of the Hindus of Kashmir is passed. The Bill which is to crate a constitutional mechanism for the collective management of temples and shrines on the principles of democracy and transparency is pending with the State Legislature for last five years, they added.
The protestors said through the passage of the Bill  a Shrine Board will be established which will be represented by the Hindus of Kashmir irrespective of their origin and surname.
They allayed the fares that the Bill will affect the sadhus, priests, prohits and puja padti of different shrines.
They also warned the vested interests for opposing the Bill and alleged that they want to keep the community properties under personnel control which will not be allowed to happen and said every delay leads to the destruction of the temples and shrines and it benefits the land mafia, they added.
KP organisations which participated in dharna included JKVM, AIKS, AIKPC, PK, KPC, KPS, ADKPUF, Vital Bharav Rainawari, Sharika Peeth Subash Nagar, SSK Bohri, Swami Aatma Ram Ji Ashram Gosani Gund Bohri, Parijat Kendra Bohri, Drabyar Temple Trust, Committee, Habakadal, Shri Vinayakprabhandak Sabha, Shrine and Temple Committee Tral, Kapal Mochan Tirath Shopian, Jawala Ji Samiti Khrew, Tirathraj Lukabhavan, Oma Devi Asthapan Kandi Khas, Papaharan Nag Asthapan, Luv Nag Asthapan, Prabhandak Committee, Manzgam, Dhoni Sahib Ladhav, Shrine and Temple Welfare Committees of Chakraajvali, Tikar, Goshi, Kupwara, Vesu, D H Pora, Avil, Nadimarg, Seer Jagir, Safapora, Wanpoh, Dalseer and Kulwagishori.

Follow our WhatsApp channel