BALHAMA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national youth vice president, Er. Aijaz Hussain has demanded preservation of hundreds of old Bala Devi Temple at Balhama area of Srinagar district and increasing infrastructure and facilities for devotees.
He told Kashmir Reader this after visiting the shrine along with two national level BJP leaders.
He told Kashmir Reader that Bala Devi temple is 5000 years old and thousands of devotees visit here every year but successive governments have neglected it.
“Their is no accommodation for devotees. it is my request to administration that a dharamshala be constructed for devotees and pilgrims and also a wall shall be laid around the temple to preserve the place which is good for strengthening mutual bonds of kinship between the Pandits and the Muslims,” he said, adding that some Pandit families sold their land in distress during 1990.
” Some land should be identified for them so that they can return and live in peace with their Muslim brothers,” he said.
Raviji Pandit, a local resident of Balhama told Kashmir Reader that the shrine is 5000 year old.
” We request the government to provide accommodation here so that devotees can stay here with ease,” he said.

BILAL HABIB