Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 12: Kashmiri Pandits have taken serious exception to the reported statements that State Government was planning to sabotage the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Temples Bill by introducing the opt out clause in it and have strongly warned the Government against the move.
The representatives of community in a comprehensive meeting here today held under the aegis of Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) the nodal organization for spearheading the movement for the passage of the Shrine Bill totally rejected the move to keep the certain trusts and management committees out of the purview of the Bill.
The meeting among others was attended by Dr R L Bhat, Kashmir Lal senior advocate, Harji Lal Jad, Sundri Lal Kaul, Virender Raina, spokesperson, PKM K Raina, Brij Lal Bhat, H L Bhat, Kamal Dhar, Dr Arjan Nath Pandita, chairman of the Trust, B L Bhat president JKVM, Makhan Lal Ganjoo, P N Raina and others expressed extreme perturbation at this reported move by certain vested interests who are chairmen and managers of certain temples.
Dr R L Bhat while addressing the meeting said that Kashmiri Hindus are opposing the sale deeds of land signed by these very people. The community fought for two years to get the sale of 100 kanals of Jawala Ji temple by Dharmarth Trust reversed.
He said the basic objective of the Bill is to prevent clandestine sale and attorney assignments of the temple land by unscrupulous elements. The purpose and objective of preservation of religious lands of Hindu shrines of Kashmir would be totally defeated if the Bill is not passed in toto, he added.
He said the community also rejects the lobbying by these vested interests who have been treating the temples and religious land as their property.
The meeting, also pointed out that even individuals in collusion with land mafia are trying to sell the religious land and the Trust asked the Government to implement the standing court orders as the sale of Hindu religious land all over Kashmir till the Bill is passed. In this connection a pointed reference was made to Shri Jeewan Sahib Shrine in Ladhoo
Khrew where land mafia is eying the Shrine land.
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