Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 11: VHP patron and its senior leader Dr Rama Kant Dubey today expressed grave concern over the controversy being created by separatists and anti-social elements over the yatra of Acharya Abhinav Gupt a world renowned philosopher of Kashmir Shaivism and a great Shivacharya.
Talking to Excelsior, he said that separatists and anti social elements are creating unnecessary controversy over the religious functions and programmes in Valley. Whether it is Amarnath yatra, Abhinav Gupt yatra or any other religious affair of Hindus the separatists try to make it a controversial issue, he added.
He said earlier a bid was made to change the name of historic and religious places by them. He wanted to know what the separatists and their mentors want to convey by creating controversy and trouble in the Valley.
He said Kashmir is the land of Lord Shiva from inception and Lord Shiva is exists every where in Kashmir. He also criticized Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for not taking effective steps to encourage the yatra and the Board has failed to encourage the yatra.
Substantiating his claims he said last year it was announced that 8.77 lakh pilgrims will visit holy shrine later the number declined considerably and only 3.50 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine.
He said that even the Mahila also face problems as there are no proper facilities of bath rooms and toilets for them. The poney wallas are also charging exorbitant rates from them. This all is being done under a sinister design to discourage the yatra, he added.
Meanwhile Ishfaq -ur-Rehman Poswal, BJP leader and national Executive Member ST Morcha today slammed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for not allowing the Abhinav Gupt Yatra to proceed towards Beeru cave.
He said unemployment in the State is touching peak and at a time when the yatra can help in providing employment to people the government is behaving like agent of separatists by not allowing yatra to move.
However Magam Bangil Sabha which is the Pandit body of tehsils Magam and Tangmarg representing the area in which the Abhinav Gupt cave also falls alleged that they were not consulted by any organisation regarding taking out of yatra to holy cave of Shaivacharya in Beeru, Budgam.
The Sabha in an emergency meeting here today expressed strong and serious concern over the attempts being made to politicize and communalize the matter of faith and culture.
The Sabha said it has been matter of greatest pride for the Kashmiri Pandits of Magam, Beeru, Bangil and Tangmarg area that one of the greatest Shaiv philosophers of the Sub Continent chose this area as the final journey and to attain Nirvana he entered the cave at Beeru.
The Sabha said that the Muslims and Pandits of the area have been working for quite sometime to create an atmosphere where faith and culture could be practiced without any interference.
The Sabha appealed all parties to desist from politicizing and communalizing the cave shrine. Acharya took Nirvana in this cave has been corroborated by folk lore and Muslim Chronicles also, it added.
Those who spoke included Raj Nath Raina president of the Sabha, Chuni Lal Garoo, vice president, R N Raina, Ashok Ambardar, M L Raina, J L Sadhu and T N Bhat, chairman of the Sabha.
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