Hindu groups chip in to help stranded passengers

nesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 14

Giving a befitting reply to the politicians brazenly pursuing divisive agenda to reap political benefits, religious organisations of Jammu have come forward to provide every help to the stranded passengers of Kashmir valley.

While some Sikh organisations and mandir committees have set up langars for the passengers, the Sanatan Dharma Sabha on Thursday decided to open Geeta Bhawan to provide round-the-clock shelter and flood to these passengers.

“We have infrastructure to provide food and shelter to over 2,000 people and the same is available for the passengers on humanitarian grounds,” Bodh Raj, president of the sabha, told The Tribune, adding, “We are even ready to open halls of temples across Jammu district to provide food and shelter to the stranded passengers facing hardship.”

“Stranded passengers of Kashmir valley are welcome in Geeta Bhawan, but they should also remain vigilant against anti-social elements trying to disrupt peaceful atmosphere of Jammu under the garb of stranded passengers,” he said.

The Shiv Shakti Charitable Trust of the Jammu railway station has already set up a kitchen to provide meals to the stranded passengers. “We have already served meals to nearly 1,000 passengers at the bus stand in Jammu,” said Rajinder Parshad, vice-president of the trust. He said the trust had conveyed to the administration that they would prepare meals for any number of stuck-up passengers provided they were given prior information.

Kulwinder Singh, president of Chand Nagar Gurdwara, said they had provided meals to the stranded passengers and assured the administration to provide food and shelter to people any time.

After landslides,the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been blocked for nearly 10 days. As a result, a large numbers of passengers are stranded in Jammu.