Sir,
Shrine board have passed the orders dated 31.5.2008 and 11.3.2008 by which they have fixed the rates for darshan and sitting in the arrti at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Right from 2008 to 2019 the rates of attending/participation in the arti is Rs 1100 which was increased by the shrine board on 30.3.2019 and now that amount is Rs 2100 per person. By passing these orders the Shrine Board has commercialized the Puja and the religious sentiments, spiritual emotions and conviction of crores of devotees has been shaken. The fact is that the Shrine Board without showing any sanctity for religious sentiments for the devotees have acted like typical businessmen.
Is the temple of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi a Cinema hall? Those who pay more prices are allowed to attend such arti in the first row where as those who pay less are put in the secondary and subsequent rows and those who have no money to pay they are made to stand outside the gate. This is clear violative of Article 14, Article 15 and Article 25 of the constitution of India. God has not done any discrimination between human beings then how the shrine board have the authority to divide the people into lower ,upper and middle class.These orders are not for the benefit of public. There must be some fixed quota for the general public for participating in the Atka Arti.
Sumit Nayyar ( Advocate )
J& K High Court
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