Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday assured people that the Temples and Shrines Bill be passed in the state assembly "at all costs".
The Bill has been hanging for past few years due to opposition from Darmarth Trust, which runs scores of temples in Jammu and Kashmir. "As far as your demand of passage of Temple and Shrines Bill is concerned, It is our commitment with you people that Shrine Bill would be passed at costs," Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla said at a function organised on the occasion of the 10th death anniversary of former Minister and veteran Congress leader Manohar Nath Koul here today.
Bhalla was reacting to demand of All Party Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) and other Trusts for setting up of Temples, Shrine properties Board in J&K by passage of the its bill in the state Legislature.
APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit and Rural Foundation Chairman Sunita Sharma had sat on 10-days long fast-unto-death over this demand in October thsi year and the government had promised to them for passage of the bill. "We will take into confidence all members in the Assembly or Select Committee--whatever hurdles are there on individual front or from any individual Trust (Darmarth Trust) will be ironed out," he said.
"We cannot sit on the bill for a long," he said. Until the bill is passed, Government has directed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to prepare inventory of temples, shrines, and their lands and properties so that they would protected, preserved and maintained, Bhalla said.
Supporting the demand for setting up Board for preservation, renovation, protection and maintenance of temples and their properties in Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister for medical Education and Sports, RS Chib said that Shrine Board will only ensure protection and preservation of Shrine and temples in the state.
PTI