Nitesh Sangral
JAMMU, Nov 30: Over 208 temples have suffered damages during the 20 years’ of
turmoil in Kashmir Valley and despite assuring time and again th
at
Temple and Shrines bill will be introduced in Legislative Assembly, government
has failed to do so.
In absence of such a bill, there is no protection for the temples in valley and most of them are being encroached upon by the land mafia.
Pertinently the issue is of much concern as after the migration of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley, encroachment has increased 208 of the 438 temples in the Valley had been damaged.
The state government claimed the number of 57 temples have been damaged in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, followed by south Kashmir's Anantnag district where 56 temples have suffered damage. There was no case of encroachment on these lands so far.
Pannun Kashmir member Ashwani Chrungoo said that over 50,000 kanals of temple land is under occupation of different people in Kashmir mostly belonging to the shrines. “Some people are selling the property of temples, which is completely illegal but there is active involvement of revenue authorities”, Chrungoo said.
“We are demanding to the government to hand over all religious places of the community to Kashmiri pandits living in the Valley. “If the temples and shrines of the minority community of the Valley are handed to the locals by virtue of the temple bill, the controversy will automatically come to an end,” he added.
Some elements managing these temples along with revenue officials were indulging in selling temples and other immovable property of pandit community. Our demand is whatever temple land has been leased out by the managing bodies of these temples since 1990, should be declared null and void. And all temples of Kashmir Valley should come under management of Kashmiri pandits.
He also disclosed that about 200 illegal sales of temple land and other property were done with the help of politicians, revenue officials and other individuals. Maximum land of those temples have been encroached by the some powerful persons.
They alleged that the state government is not taking this issue of approving shrine bill because a lot of people involved in the illegal activity. When contacted Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Raman Bhalla could not be contacted.
In absence of such a bill, there is no protection for the temples in valley and most of them are being encroached upon by the land mafia.
Pertinently the issue is of much concern as after the migration of Kashmiri Hindus from the valley, encroachment has increased 208 of the 438 temples in the Valley had been damaged.
The state government claimed the number of 57 temples have been damaged in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, followed by south Kashmir's Anantnag district where 56 temples have suffered damage. There was no case of encroachment on these lands so far.
Pannun Kashmir member Ashwani Chrungoo said that over 50,000 kanals of temple land is under occupation of different people in Kashmir mostly belonging to the shrines. “Some people are selling the property of temples, which is completely illegal but there is active involvement of revenue authorities”, Chrungoo said.
“We are demanding to the government to hand over all religious places of the community to Kashmiri pandits living in the Valley. “If the temples and shrines of the minority community of the Valley are handed to the locals by virtue of the temple bill, the controversy will automatically come to an end,” he added.
Some elements managing these temples along with revenue officials were indulging in selling temples and other immovable property of pandit community. Our demand is whatever temple land has been leased out by the managing bodies of these temples since 1990, should be declared null and void. And all temples of Kashmir Valley should come under management of Kashmiri pandits.
He also disclosed that about 200 illegal sales of temple land and other property were done with the help of politicians, revenue officials and other individuals. Maximum land of those temples have been encroached by the some powerful persons.
They alleged that the state government is not taking this issue of approving shrine bill because a lot of people involved in the illegal activity. When contacted Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Raman Bhalla could not be contacted.
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