A day after government said that it won’t allow ‘Abhinav Gupt cave’ yatra, ruling BJP legislators in the Upper House today said that disallowing yatra is “religious interference”.Ruling BJP MLCs- Ramesh Arora, Ashok Khajuria and Vibodh Gupta- today created uproar in the Upper House, saying the ban is direct interference in religion.As soon as the question hour began Friday, the BJP legislators rose up from Treasury Benches and protested against the government’s decision.“Banning Abhinav Gupt yatra is like banning Baba Nund Reshi,” BJ MLC Ramesh Arora said.The BJP legislators accused the government of succumbing to separatists’ pressure.
“In a secular state you cannot ban religious activities. Government should immediately revoke ban and allow the yatra,” BJP MLA Ashok Khajuria said.Vibod Gupta said the Abhinav Gupt cave is a “sacred place” for Hindu’s and the government cannot disallow devotees from visiting it.“History is witness that this cave is mentioned in the religious scriptures,” Gupta said. Deputy Chief Minister, Nirmal Singh, who was present in the House directed his party legislators to sit calms down and sit on their seats.Immediately, the legislators sat down.Government spokesman and minister for education, Naeem Akhtar, had on Thursday told KNS that the yatra will not be allowed.“The yatra will be allowed as has already been cleared by chief minister and deputy chief minister,” he had told KNS.A New Delhi based organization, Acharaya Abhinav Gupt Sheshadri Samroh Samiti, had announced to take the yatra to a cave in Beerwah in Budgam district, for the first time, in the 2nd week of June.An amalgam of different organization and headed by founder of Art of Living foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shanker, the Samiti had said it will conduct the yatra. (KNS)