"Inventing new agendas": Congress leader Harish Rawat slams BJP over Gangotri Dham issue

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 26 (ANI): As non-Hindus have been barred from entering Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand, senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Monday said that new agendas were being invented by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since there are no issues left on their election agenda.
He said that religions across the world attract people to their places of worship so that the greatness and qualities of their religion can be accepted by others.
"I do not have any comments to make on this because this is the BJP's own agenda. Let them do it. Religions around the world attract people to their places of worship. They do not prohibit, they attract, so that the greatness and qualities of one's religion can be accepted by other people. Now, a new tradition has been set into motion. Perhaps, there are no issues left on their election agenda. So, new agendas are being invented," Rawat said.
His remarks come after a unanimous decision was taken at a meeting of the Shri Gangotri Temple Committee held on Sunday, prohibiting the entry of non-Hindus at Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government "will consider the views of all stakeholders" while reviewing laws related to ancient religious sites in the state.
Addressing the reporters on the same matter, Dhami said, "We have already stated that, since all these religious sites are our ancient places of worship, the people who visit and manage these places, including members of our religious organizations, the pilgrimage committees, the Ganga Sabha, the Kedar Sabha, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, our revered saint community, and everyone else involved in managing these sites, will have their opinions and views considered."
The Chief Minister further added that these holy places hold great historical and religious significance, and "certain laws were enacted regarding them in the past."
"These places hold great historical and religious significance, and certain laws were enacted regarding them in the past. We are also reviewing those laws and will proceed based on that," Dhami added. (ANI)