Jammu, March 30 The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday rejected a private member's bill, introduced by a BJP MLA, by voice vote. The bill aimed to protect and restore temples in Jammu and Kashmir, including those that were encroached upon during the period of militancy. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary cited existing safeguards as the reason for the rejection.
Choudhary stated that Jammu and Kashmir's strength lies in its tradition of communal harmony and equal respect for all religions. He asserted that successive governments, including the current one led by Omar Abdullah, have ensured the protection of temples, mosques, gurdwaras, and churches alike.
BJP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia introduced the bill, which sought "to provide for the protection of temples and the recovery of illegally occupied land in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir."
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was present in the Assembly, stated that he was opposing the bill.
Mankotia defended the bill, arguing that it aims to institutionalize safeguards for the preservation and restoration of damaged temples, particularly those affected during the peak of terrorism in the Valley, where large-scale displacement left religious sites vulnerable to encroachment and destruction.
When Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary rose to reply on behalf of the government, Mankotia initially objected, insisting that the Chief Minister should respond as he had opposed the bill, but later relented following the Speaker's intervention.
"I am part of the government led by Omar Abdullah. I take pride in representing the legacy of (National Conference president) Farooq Abdullah, who has always stood for all religions and visited temples, mosques, gurdwaras, and churches. Wherever he went, people of every faith felt he belonged to them," Choudhary said.
He added that whenever the National Conference has been in power, all religious institutions have been protected.
"No religion or community has the right to encroach upon any sacred place of another, and no government has ever permitted such actions. This is the true essence and beauty of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, I do not believe there is a need for this bill," Choudhary said.
He stated that the government remains committed not just to protecting temples, but all religious places. "If any encroachment has occurred, strict action will be taken."
The Deputy Chief Minister said that J-K already have institutional mechanisms in place like the Waqf Board for Muslims, the Gurdwara Prabandhak Board for Sikhs, and the Dharmarth Trust for Hindu religious institutions.
"There are sufficient legal frameworks available. Our leadership is committed to strengthening communal harmony, hospitality, and brotherhood -- values for which Jammu and Kashmir is widely appreciated across the country and the world," he said.
With Mankotia declining to withdraw the bill, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather put it to a voice vote, and the House rejected it.