Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 12: Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust, has reiterated its demand of constituting a board for maintenance and upkeep of all Hindu shrines and temples in Valley by passing the Shrine and Temples Bill in the coming Session of State Assembly
The Trust which met here today said that passage of Bill by brining all religious shrines and temples of Hindus in Kashmir under its purview will be acceptable and no fragmented Bill will fulfill the aspirations of Kashmiri Hindus.
The meeting made it clear that a fragmented Shrine Bill cannot answer the basic issue of the protection, preservation and management of the Hindu shrines and temples in the Valley. Dr R L Bhat, the chief spokesperson of PNBMT, in a statement after the meeting said the Trust is hopeful that the Bill will be presented in the next session of the State Legislature and passed. He said both the parties in power today, appreciate the need for the protection of the temple heritage of Kashmir and have given definitive promises to get the Shrines Bill passed.
Various speakers at the general body meeting pointed to the commitment by the leaders of both PDP and BJP that they would enact the bill, to facilitate the creation of a democratically elected Shrine Board. Ms Mehbooba Mufti the PDP president has stated in the Legislature that they support the Bill. Though, BJP earlier asked for some clarifications, the State organizing secretary of the Party, Ashok Koul has since categorically stated that the party would get the bill, as demanded by the community, passed in the legislature. The support has been reiterated by the Sate and national leaders of the Party. The meeting attended by wide spectrum of the PNBMT general body was presided over by the president of the Trust Dr A N Pandit and coordinated by Shadi Lal Koul, general secretary. Among those who spoke at the meeting were Dr A N Pandita, Dr R L Bhat, , H L Bhat, C L Pandita, B L Bhat, M K Jalali, Sundri Lal Koul, P L Razdan, B L Zar, K L Bhat S L Koul.
The sacred shrines of Kashmir have existed since ancient times. They are the joint heritage of all the Hindus of Kashmir, whether it is the holy Tulamula shrine or Jawalaji Khrew, Sharda Mata shrine at Tiker, or the Sundabraari shrine in Shaangas. It is not possible to think of the shrines and temples of Kashmir without Shankaracharya, Gupt Ganga, Harmokh, Naagubal, Vijeeshvar, Tirthraaj; in fact any shrine in any of the districts of the Valley. No fragmentation was possible there and would hinder in the fulfillment of the vital objectives of the Shrine bill.
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