LOSING INDIGENOUSNESS
The reconstitution of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) for the term of three years would have been much better if the eight members’ body was comprised of maximum people from J&K which has not been the case as there are four members from outside the Union Territory thus putting a big question mark on the selection parameters and criteria fixed because 50 per cent is a big proportion. The message which the decision of inducting four members from outside the UT is giving to the nation is that people in J&K are not competent enough to run the affairs of the cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji, which should not be the case because this pilgrimage which is one amongst the most revered ones in the country has traditionally being looked after by the people hailing from the erstwhile state of J&K and that too from the Jammu region, and such a decision to involve people from outside the UT for overseeing the affairs is a bit intriguing and should not be the case. If at all the J&K Administration really wanted to rope in someone from outside the UT, one person of high repute would have been a much better choice as the decision taken by the government is not being taken by the people of UT especially Jammu Division in good taste. It is pertinent to mention that LG Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of SMVDSB, has reconstituted the aforesaid Board for a three years term with new members including Mahamandleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Kulbushan Ahuja, Dr Neelam Sareen, retired Director General of Police, Dr Ashok Bhan, former civil servant, Baleshwar Rai, K K Sharma, retired Judge Suresh Kumar Sharma and Raghu K Mehta. No doubt the reconstitution of the aforesaid Board was much awaited decision but what is bothering the people of the Union Territory is that four out of total eight members are from outside thus SMVDSB in this context has lost indigenousness and indigeneity, which is the matter of concern and the government should revisit the move and give more voice to people of the UT in governing this coveted body which looks after the affairs of the entire Yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji.