Powerful spiritual places of worship in Poonch turned into centres of political mileage and religious tourism-Part II, DC Office Poonch fails to investigate trust issues for years, members appointed unknowingly; Sanatan is supreme and not any individual

Powerful spiritual places of worship in Poonch turned into centres of political mileage and religious tourism-Part II, DC Office Poonch fails to investigate trust issues for years, members appointed unknowingly; Sanatan is supreme and not any individual

SALIL RAINA

(POONCH TODAY NEWS)

POONCH: On what basis do those who were appointed by the district administration of Poonch on the recommendation of Sh S.D. Sabha manage to form trust in Mandi by going out of their defined domain of Sh Dashnami Akhara because Sh Dashnami Akhara and Sh Buda Amarnath shrines are two different institutions of Sanatan and both cannot interfere in each other’s domain?

Had the DC Poonch and S.D. Sabha been taken into confidence before the formation of the second trust? How were the members appointed in the Budha Amarnath committee/trust Nos. 1 and 2 (pre- and post-August 2009)? Who appointed the members and on what basis? Had the DC Office Poonch or Sh S.D. Sabha been taken into account before finalising the names of new members over the years? How many shops were constructed in Mandi, and what was the procedure adopted to give shops on rent, and to whom? What is the monthly rent from the trust’s properties, including from BSF? What amount of funds were withdrawn from different banks when the financial powers were given to the second trust this year (whose formation is a subject of detailed investigation) by the administration for a few days, and where have those funds been used? What is the year-wise performance of the trust, touching on all issues? How many members allotted shops in their favour, and what amount of rent do they pay to trust other than the original rent they get from various shops? This thing never came into the public domain, for which a high-level investigation is needed because Sanatanis are already upset with the Ayodhya’s Ram temple episode, and they don’t want to see the repeat of that in Poonch. Who allowed a few persons to play with the sentiments of the entire Sanatanis of Poonch district by managing everything there, including taking unilateral decisions? However, after the strong objections raised by the Sanatanis of Poonch on the issue of administration giving full powers to the trust, the financial powers were taken back from the Sh Budha Amarnath committee/trust by DC Poonch, but the question arises, what amount of funds were withdrawn when the said trust was given powers? The role played by two committees/trusts (pre-2009 and 2009 afterwards) for years is questionable, for which a high-level investigation related to various issues of the shrine is needed in the interest of transparency and work ethics because Sanatan is known for truth and transparency. It’s a big question mark in the office of Deputy Commissioner Poonch also that used to clear bills submitted by the Sh Budha Amarnath committee every year. Without verifying each and everything related to bills and the questionable formation of the second trust, how could the successive Deputy Commissioners clear those bills? Who operates the online account of the trust, and how much money comes in that account? The Sanatanis of the Poonch district want unity among all the Sanatanis of the district and always wanted transparency in every religious affair of Sh Budha Amarnath Trust, Sh Dashnami Akhara and other temples, as they should not be taken for granted like sheep and goats that are controlled through a single master’s stick. The district administration must present a white paper for several years over the activities undertaken and funds collected year-wise (manually and online) and funds released to the Sh Budha Amarnath shrine Mandi and to which committee and where those funds were used. There must be a proper investigation into the various activities and accounts operating on behalf of trusts working there for several years. Moreover, how the second trust was formed in 2009 when the first was working and what intentions were there during the formation of the second trust that had no defined mandate by going out of its defined boundary of Sh Dashnami Akhara is a subject of deep investigation, as the hard-earned money of Sanatanis who used to offer in the shrine manually or online must be used properly. Shri Dashnami Akhara Poonch and Sh Budha Amarnath Shrine automatically come under Sh S.D. Sabha, and these two institutions have no moral right to take unilateral decisions against the interest of Sanatanis of Poonch, as both the institutions need to implement total transparency, for which DC Poonch and Sh S.D. Sabha should lead from the front. A few days ago, one of the members of the Budha Amarnath Trust sent a resignation letter, not on the official letter pad of the trust, w.e.f. 1st of April 2027, addressed to the religious head of Dashnami Akhara, having a few questionable gestures within the letter, but not to DC, and this also points towards visible foul play because DC is the chairman of the trust and not any other person, and all letters need to be addressed to DC Poonch only. Although a few political leaders and some people known for their questionable credentials and personal interests used to misguide the head of Sh Dashnami Akhara on various issues, eyeing settling their personal scores, it’s up to the wisdom of the religious head to weigh everything before taking any issue. The way ex-MLC Pardeep Sharma and Pradhan Sh S.D. Sabha were given a cold shoulder during Chhari puja shows that the management committee is totally working under political compulsion and has no respect for the sentiments of Sanatanis of Poonch. There are also reports that some mischievous elements associated with these two institutions are also planning to take Sh Gita Bhawan under the control of Sh Dashnami Akhara on unknown grounds to control all the major Sanatan institutions of the district, which is purely against the interest of Sanatanis of Poonch. Such acts justified the reports of “POONCH TODAY” that both these institutions have come under an influence of political mileage, VIP culture and religious tourism. Another unfortunate act which was seen various times, and this is related to Poonch police. Those managing Sh Dashnami Akhara Poonch used to hit their rivals through police and by using mischievous elements. Some police officials were seen working in a hosh-posh manner on the influence of the management committee and used to take actions against the whistleblowers, but those branded as rivals by the management committee of Sh Dashnami Akhara are actually the people who used to raise their truthful voice against various irregularities in a few management committees of some shrines. The management committee members of both the shrines are so bigheaded that they don’t digest anybody standing against them, and they can go to any length to demolish any type of voice against these two institutions. These two institutions unfortunately consider themselves the ultimate bodies of Sanatan and even above of Sh S.D Sabha. Due to a few people known for their questionable credentials and known for grabbing personal benefits through illegal means and eyeing political mileage in the next municipality elections, seeking mandates for various elections, used to guide the religious head of Sh Dashnami Akhara and are seen on most occasions doing dramebazi just for their personal political interest, leaving Sanatanis to live at the mercy of Lord Ram. Both the institutions come under the Sh S.D. Sabha and deserve persons with good public credibility and not tainted ones. Police officials, without investigating the facts, were seen targeting the rivals of the management committee of Sh Dashnami Akhara, and if policing is done this way, then the voices of the common man can be crushed easily, thanks to those occupying top religious places which ultimately influence the policing to their self-interest. If this is the actual way of policing, then it’s the open murder of the democratic rights of an individual who unfortunately becomes a victim of the arrogance of religious and political classes who have dominated the religious affairs of these two top Sanatan institutions of the Poonch district. It’s high time for the Sh Sanatan Dharma Sabha Poonch to tighten its shoes by not allowing open mockery of Sanatan by those who were appointed by the district administration Poonch on its recommendation, as the Sh S.D Sabha reserves the right to appoint and remove a person from any post of Sanatan, and only a strong Sh S.D Sabha can ensure its writ across the district. Can an individual or a group of Sanatanis form a trust in the Budha Amarnath shrine in Mandi and in Sh Dashnami Akhara? The answer is no. Then how could such trusts have been formed and attempts have been made to bring everything under the trust whose main control is outside the district and not with the Sanatanis of Poonch? This is a subject of deep investigation for which the S.D. Sabha Poonch has to show its will and wisdom. The highest spiritually powerful seats of Sh Dashnami Akhara Poonch and Sh Budha Amarnath Mandi have become places of political mileage, business interest, political vendatta and religious tourism, and by taking the shelter of these two seats, some people associated with these two institutions, known for their questionable credentials and political interest, have demolished Sanatan in the district openly, for which a high-level investigation is needed from Sh S.D Sabha and from the Office of Deputy Commissioner Poonch, because DC Poonch is the chairman of the Budha Amarnath trust, Mandi. Only the DC, being the chairman, can appoint or remove a person from the management committee of Shri Budha Amarnath shrine, and other individuals have no powers to take unilateral decisions related to any issue. It is pertinent to mention here that during the 70s, Dr Karan Singh of J&K Dharmarth Trust, Jammu, wanted to take control of the Sh Budha Amarnath temple under the trust, but the then visionary Sanatanis of Poonch objected to the idea, but unfortunately, those who had no mandate of any type managed to form a trust in the said shrine by going out of their domain a few years ago, which is a subject of detailed investigation. A few people with questionable credentials occupying important religious places cannot take Sanatan of Poonch for granted, and it’s time for Sh. S.D. Sabha Poonch to show that the Sabha is not weak and all-out efforts must be made to strengthen Sanatan by addressing all the issues. Those forces who have been managing the affairs of both the high-powered spiritual centres with malafide intentions for years are playing with the fire because the seat of Sh Dashnami Akhara is extremely powerful, and the wrongdoers will have to face their consequences sooner or later. The management committee of Sh Dashnami Akhara needs to learn from the Ujjain Hanuman temple episode where several attempts to dislodge the idol of Hanuman ji by the government failed, and such acts need not be repeated here in the future because the people of Poonch have their sentiments with the statue of Sh Hanuman ji, which is having very powerful vibrations. Moreover, the issues of low rent from various shops of Sanatan institutions, restoring the traditional glory of Chhari yatra, the year-wise financial aspects of the Sh Budha Amarnath shrine and other important issues for Sanatan need to be given top priority by the S.D. Sabha Poonch, because nothing is more important than the interest of the Sanatan in the district. Both the shrines of Sh Budha Amarnath Mandi and Sh Dashnami Akhara should be strengthened as places of spiritual worship and not as centres for political mileage, VVIP culture, political vendetta, business centres and religious tourism. There must be transparency in every affair of these two and other Sanatan institutions of the district, because Sanatan represents truth and transparency. Whosoever plays with the sentiments of Sanatanis of Poonch district must be brought to justice, as the management committees of both the shrines have no right to take unilateral decisions related to any issue, including planning to change the status of the ancient powerful idol of Sh Hanuman Ji. Both the Sh Dashnami Akhara and Sh Budha Amarnath shrines belong to the Sanatanis of Poonch, and only Poonch people will decide everything and not others. Sanatan in Poonch needs total unity, and it will happen only with the cooperation of all the Sanatan institutions of the district. Will Sh S.D. Sabha and the Deputy Commissioner’s Office take action on reported irregularities in the interest of Sanatanis of Poonch? Only time will tell.