Jammu, Oct 06: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday accused the National Conference (NC) government in Jammu and Kashmir of neglecting the restoration of desecrated temples, cremation grounds, and other sacred sites across the Valley.
Addressing a press conference at Trikuta Nagar, BJP leaders Rajni Sethi, Dr. Pardeep Mahotra, and Ankit Gupta slammed the Omar Abdullah-led administration for failing to act on long-pending heritage issues despite being in power for over a year.
Sethi said J&K, known for its rich and composite culture, continues to bear the scars of the 1990s terrorism, which displaced thousands and left temples and sacred properties encroached. “Temples like Hari Parbat, Bohra Mandir, Sheetal Nath Mandir, and Shiv Mandir Baramulla remain neglected, while cremation grounds at Karan Nagar, Baghat Barzula, Kripal Mochan Sopore, and Shopian face encroachment,” she noted. She demanded a time-bound roadmap for retrieval and restoration, with strict legal action against offenders.
Dr. Mahotra highlighted J&K’s tourism potential, calling it a vital economic lifeline. While the Modi government and LG administration implemented measures to boost tourism and protect heritage, the NC government “displayed a lack of seriousness” in supporting these initiatives, he said.
Gupta added that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah came to power promising progress, yet the people are still waiting. He called for transparency in the Heritage Conservation and Religious Infrastructure Scheme, urging immediate action to safeguard J&K’s spiritual and cultural legacy without political bias.
The BJP leaders emphasized that continued inaction would deepen public frustration, warning the NC government to step up before heritage neglect further erodes the Valley’s pluralistic and cultural identity.
