Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Samaj Sevak & People Welfare Samiti, Gandhi Nagar, represented through their conveners, expressed their strong resentment against what they called the indifferent and stubborn attitude of the present Executive Body of the Mandir, and demand for fresh elections to elect a new executive body of the Temple immediately.
At a joint press conference the members of the Committee S P Sapolia, D K Sharma, Sanjay Jearth, Rajeev Langer and Sunil Bhatti have sought the intervention of Governor in the matter and issuance of order to hold elections to the Executive Body of the temple, at the earliest. They also demanded that the management of the temple be handed over to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board or to the District Magistrate of Jammu or any other statutory body, till the elections are held and new body of residents of Gandhi Nagar is elected to take-over its management.
They said the temple is one of the oldest temples of Jammu and it was constructed through the funds raised by the residents of the area in 1961. Total 24 shops on both sides of the temple were constructed by the residents during that time.
They said that the management of the temple was handed over to an Adhoc Committee initially which was formed with a mandate to prepare necessary by laws to govern the management of the temple. The Adhoc Committee did its job and handed over the management of the temple to the duly elected body as per the laws in 1965.
They said the Committee elected earlier used to be of learned and religious people having belief in Sanatan Dharma. However over a period of time, the management of the temple went into the hands of a few people with vested interests who are not even the residents of Gandhi Nagar. They used the temple properties for their personnel gain and allotted the shops located in the backside of the temple among themselves.
They said pained by their activities the residents of Gandhi Nagar formed a Committee and elected S P Sapolia and D K Sharma as its convenors to spearhead the movement for holding the elections to the Executive body of the temple and restore its lost glory. Instead of appreciating the move the present temple body refused to hold the elections and indulged in misinformation campaign to vitiate peaceful atmosphere.
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