National Conference (NC) Provincial President, Jammu, Devender Singh Rana Monday strongly supported the demand of constitution of shrine boards for regulation of Hindu temples and shrines on the analogy of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board across Jammu and Kashmir without political interference.
A statement of NC issued here quoted Rana as saying that this would lead to their better management in the larger interest of the population and places of worship in respective areas.
It said that interacting with religious preachers and eminent persons associated with the Dharmarth Trust, who called on him here, he said that the massive transformation of the Vaishno Devi shrine on Trikuta Hills and its peripheral areas, particularly Katra stands testimony to changes that could be brought about, not only in the upkeep of worship places but also in the vicinities around, in terms of economic activities.
Rana said that better infrastructural facilities assume immense significance with the growing number of devotees thronging the shrines and temples to seek spiritual bliss.
“They are to be provided with standard facilities like lodges, roads and other utility services. This can be achieved only by robust bodies managing the religious places with a vision,” he said and referred to the influx of over 1 croreyatris annually to Vaishno Devi shrine.
Rana also referred to the legislations piloted by NC with regard to Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places (Management and Regulation) Bill twice, when in the Opposition, saying the objective was to manage the shrines and temples across the Valley, as also to protect the assets attached to these.
“The same bill can be broad based to cover entire Jammu and Kashmir under its ambit. For this, a consensus is necessary to set up the boards with representative character,” he said. “The local stakeholders can run the managements in a transparent manner after having boards in place through democratic means without governmental interference.”
Rana said that the boards could be evolved as autonomous entities.
He said Jammu and Kashmir was enriched with ancient shrines and temples and thus could be promoted as a premier pilgrim tourism destination in the country.
“The better management will lead to upgrading facilities which will prove a boon to pilgrim arrivals and eventually giving fillip to economies of each area. In the process the local stakeholders, especially youth will get benefited in a big way,” Rana said.