On the day the State Government tabled the Uttarakhand Char Dham Shrine Board Bill in the Vidhan Sabha, a large number of people conducted protest march towards assembly under the table of Devbhoomi Teerth Purohit Haq-Haquqdhari Mahapanchayat.
Their demand was to cancel the proposal all together, but even after that when the information about the act being tabled came to them, the Mahapanchayat representative announced that they will now be knocking the doors of High Court along. They will also be conducting protest march in Uttarkashi on 18, in Srinagar on 20 and indefinite hunger strike in front Chief Minister’s residence.
The president of Mahapanchayat and the president of Devprayag Nagar Palika, Krishnakant Kotiyal said, “People in power are anti-religion. During our earlier march they assured us that until they have taken us into confidence.
They said that this proposal will not be tabled but stabbing us in the back they did that exactly the opposite of what they promised. Now we have no other choice but to knock the doors of High Court now.” He added, “These people have no other motive but to gain commercial profits from it. The Kedarnath shrine on which they have spent crores, is being developed totally opposite of the actual Vastu. We are not against development, but their motive behind the proposal is not clear.”
Former president of Mool Panchayat Dimri Dharmik Kendriya Panchayat Badrinath Dham, Bhaskar Dimri said, “It is not the responsibility of State Government to tell us to how to operate temples. They are supposed to make policies and acts regarding education or health.
They should be talking about the future of BSNL and THDC. People sitting here, who just come through their helicopters once in a blue moon does not understand or know about the tradition and need of the place they are trying to make proposal of. This is totally unacceptable and we will fight against the decision.”
Former president of Gangotri Mandir Samiti, Sanjeev Semwal said, “The State Government have made Pandit’s to come on road and ask for their rights.
We are not protesters or activists, our work is to perform prayers to our gods, but the Government is adamant on to hit on our livelihood, which cannot be tolerated. They need to first take us into confidence and then take further actions.”
It is pertinent to mention here that on Monday as well about 400 people gathered near LIC building and marched towards Vidhan Sabha.
The tussle they had with police there went on for about half an hour after which they sat on the road there at Rispana Barricading. Even after repeated calls for their delegation to meet with State’s representative the Mahapanchayat refused to go.
They stated that they have been duped before under the same pretext, but this time they will not fall into the trap.