Jammu Tawi, Jan 22: National Conference (NC) on Friday sought the intervention of Government of India (GoI) in the passage of Temples and Shrines Bill so that the religious heritage of Kashmiri Pandits can be protected in Jammu and Kashmir.
Holding a press conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan Jammu, NC provincial president Anil Dhar said that discussions for the passage of Temples and Shrines Bill has been going on and it is NC who have been fighting for its since 2005.
“It was Dr Farooq Abdullah in 2005 who laid the foundation of this Bill and despite being in opposition, NC tabled this bill but it wasn’t passed that time,” Dhar said, adding that, in 2014 Omar Abdullah lead government again tabled this bill but it wasn’t allowed to pass again by some elements.
“However, NC is still fighting for the passage of the bill as the condition of our temples and shrines is dilapidated and they haven’t been maintained well,” he said.
Dhar said there is a need to establish a temple and shrine board so that religious places can be maintained well.
In 2009, Temples and Shrines Bill was introduced in the legislative assembly. In 2013, the bill was referred to the select committee headed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir, who then submitted the committee’s report in the assembly.
In March 2014, the Congress and the BJP blocked the passage of the Bill, claiming that it would divide the Hindus of the state.
Various organizations have been seeking enactment of the Bill on the lines of the Auqaf/Waqf board and the Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee which manages the Muslim and Sikh religious places respectively.
