No plan to mortgage gold, silver of temples: Dy CM

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri today said there is no proposal to mortgage gold and silver, which is offered in the temples across the state. Agnihotri, who holds the Language, Art and Language portfolio, was replying to the issue of restoration of Ram Gopal temple, Damtal in Indora constituency of Kangra district raised by Malender Rajan.

Responding to remarks made by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jai Ram Thakur that the government was contemplating mortgaging the gold and silver which was the property of various temples in view of the financial crisis being faced by the government, Agnihotri said: “It appears that the LoP wants to sensationalise everything and hurt the sentiments of the people of the state. Let the LoP tell us the specific temple where this is being done as this is figment of his imagination with no basis at all,” said Agnihotri. He is a former Chief Minister and should not make such irresponsible statements, he added.

Agnihotri assured that total details of the assets of the temple would be collected by constituting a committee headed by Secretary, Language, Art and Culture and restoration of temple work will be supervised by a committee headed by the SDM. He added that it has come to the notice of the government that the temple owns 17,418 canal land and a sum of Rs 36,01,600 had been spent on the restoration of the shrine.