PNBMT to launch to 2nd phase of campaign of Kashmir

An organisation representing Kashmiri Pandits will launch the second phase of a public awareness campaign to press for the passage of the Temples and Shrines Bill by the state assembly.
"We will launch the second phase of public awareness campaign for the passage of the Temples and Shrines Bill in the State Legislature," Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT) spokesperson R L Bhat told reporters here.
PNBMT is an umbrella body of various Kashmiri Pandits' social, religious and trade organisations which has been pressing for the passage of Temples and Shrines Protection Bill and setting up of a temple board.

He said the campaign aims to dispel disinformation being spread in some quarters regarding the struggle for the passage of Shrine bill.
The Shrine bill struggle started when the community came to know that certain established trusts and managements were selling temple lands and properties in Kashmir after the onset of militancy in 1990s, he said.
"It is a struggle against the vested interests which have been misusing and misappropriating the religious lands in collusion with the land mafia," he said.
"This misuse of the religious lands and properties is the reason why the community does not want any unauthorized, illegal caretakers to meddle in the name of preservation of temples but wants comprehensive legislation in the form of a Shrine bill for transparent management by elected representatives of the community and not selective nominees", he said.

He alleged that temple properties are being vandalized and hundreds of temples have disappeared.