Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Expressing concern over continuous damage of temples and shrines in Kashmir valley, Pt Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) accused the Government for constant delay in passage of Shrines and Temples Bill.
Talking to reporters here, today the Trust representatives including its chairman, Roshan Lal Pandita, vice chairman, Shiban Khaibri, spokesperson, Dr R L Bhat, general secretary, Shadi Lal and secretary, Sundri Lal said the constant delay by the Government in settling the issue has been a cause of concern among the Kashmiri Hindus as many shrines stand either damaged, vandalized or encroached in the Valley.
Maintaining that most of these shrines are cultural monuments dating back to ancient Kashmir who are also linked to rich cultural heritage and civilization of Hindus of Valley need immediate protection and preservation for the posterity but it is unfortunate that despite repeated pleas and representations to the successive governments for about two decades the Government did not pay any heed.
They maintained that the Trust has been given total support by all KP organisations in Jammu and outside the J&K as well as abroad making it a nodal organization for the Bill and it was entrusted to launch a united struggle for enactment of the Temple Bill. On the insistence of the community the Trust produced a consensus Bill.
The Bill produced by the Trust empowers Hindus of Kashmir to vote and be elected for the bodies under the Bill, they said. Allaying fears they maintained that the Bill does not displace any Sadhu or Purohit or Puja Padti from any temple.
They said that Trust did full ground work under the supervision of Dr R L Bhat along with 58 activists and produced a list of 1400 temples and shrines in Kashmir and today half of them stand destroyed which is a cause of concern. They said that thought the Trust representatives met the leaders of all political parties, Chief Ministers and other ministers who assured full support on the Bill.
A Select Committee was framed and case of the Temple Bill was presented before it on the lines of Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee. But unfortunately the core sympathizers of the Bill betrayed the community and it is still pending.
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