Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 19: VHP State president, Dr Rama Kant Dubey while expressing his dismay over the reported move of the Government to transfer the land allotted to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine by the then Maharaja of State Maharaja Gulab Sing after taking the reins of State administration in 1846 to Katra Municipality on behest of some politicians, urged the Government not to go ahead with the decision as it will have serious consequences.
Talking to reporters here today, he said that soon after taking over as the ruler of the State, Maharaja Gulab Singh visited the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi to pay his obeisance and perform darshan.
He said the Maharaja allotted 1,48,466 kanals and two marlas of land to holy shrine on the same time. He said Dharmarth Trust was already constituted and the Baridaran, pujaris and chowkidars of the shrine were kept on its roll as employees.
He said the land was allotted to the shrine for its maintenance and preservation of ecology of Trikuta hills.
Dr Dubey said that later Dharmarth Trust tried to take the land in its own possession and control. A case was filed in Revenue Court and in its judgment the then Revenue Commissioner and Tehsildar made it clear that the land belonged to holy shrine and the Trust can’t have any control over the same, he added.
The judgment further read that the decision of the Revenue Court was final and unchallengeble.
He said the SRO under which the Government has decided to bring the land under Katra Municipality for its management will amount to mismanagement and this way it will be a boon for land mafia.
He said the decision was taken on behest of a local politician who wants to establish commercial complex on the land.
Maintaining that the land belongs to Shrine, Dr Dubey demanded that the SRO be immediately revoked in this regard failing which there will be another andolan in Jammu on pattern of 2008 Amarnath land row agitation.
Terming it a serious issue he said that no one will be allowed to disturb the ecology of the Trikuta Hills and Shrine.
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