Srinagar, July 9, 2013: An organisation representing displaced Kashmiri Pandits today alleged that some "influential people" are trying to exclude some of the temples from the purview of the proposed Temples and Shrines Bill in Jammu and Kashmir. 

"We have reports that some influential people are trying to exclude some of the temples from the purview of the proposed Bill besides diluting it in other forms," Chairman of the All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) Vinod Pandit said in a statement here. 

The bill is under consideration of the Select Committee of State Legislative Assembly and the members are expected to meet here tomorrow. 

Pandit, whose organisation has threatened 'Kafan' (shroud) yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in case the bill is diluted, said the Bill must include all the temples of Kashmir Valley besides constitution of managing committees at Tehsil level instead of district level. 

"The proposed managing committees and the main managing committee must have only Kashmiri Hindu members like Muslim Wakf Board or Shri Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee...The religious matters of Hindus should remain with the community only," he said. 

Without naming anybody, the APMCC chairman "some vested interests" played a role during last Assembly session sending the Bill to select committee. 

"We are not going to tolerate this anymore," he said and threatened fast unto death if the government "plays any dirty game". 

The outfit's national spokesperson King Bharati said any attempt to dilute the essence of the bill will be fought tooth and nail.

Source: Business Standard, DT. July 9, 2013.