Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 3: Member of Central Waqf Council & Chairperson Waqf Development Committee of Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi today visited Kishtwar and met Waqf Management of the district to listen problems in management of the shrines there.
She also paid obeisance at the shrines of Hazrat Shah Fareeduddin Bagdadi and Hazrat Shah Asrar-ud-din Bagdadi and met the Mujabirs of the shrines and the delegations of the common people and civil society of the area.
She was accompanied by the BJP Minority Morcha President, Showkat Giri.
Dr Andrabi later had a meeting with the district administration.
Talking to reporters she expressed anguish over the poor condition of infrastructure and facilities created for the pilgrims at the shrines in Kishtwar.
She was annoyed to see the pathetic condition of shrines there and said: “It is really painful that these shrines have been allowed to remain in very poor conditions due to the political patronage for decades by the people who are exploiting the shrine-resources on their association with the shrines and thus looting huge donations received every year.”
“Four decades long legal fight has affected the management of these shrines beyond imagination,” said Dr Darakhshan adding that J&K Waqf Bodies have failed to look after and manage the shrines and other properties and the people of the UT were not even allowed to think about this exploitation mismanagement for decades.
She also claimed that many political leaders, exploiters associated with famous shrines throughout J&K are unhappy with her mission of assessing the situation on the spot because they want the things to continue as before. “Let me tell them loud and clear that things are bound to change and they have to be accounted for every penny looted by them,” said Dr Andrabi assuring big decisions in accordance with people’s sentiments and wishes soon.
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