Advani asks China to lift ban on movement in disputed places

Mysore, Jan 18 (UNI) Former Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani today asked China to lift the ban on the movement of people in disputed places between Leh and Manasasarovar to facilitate devotees to visit Kailasa Parvatha and other centres.

Participating in the Jatara festival of Sri Shivarathri Mutt at Suttur village, near here, he said he had spoken in this regard to the Chinese Premier and Foreign Minister, who met him recently in New Delhi, to discuss about the border issue between the two countries.

Stating that Indians gave more importance to visiting pilgrimage centres, he said the ban forced them to take the longer route to Kailasa and Manasasarovara via Nepal, where landslides were common.

Mr Advani said he had visited the 'kunda' (tank) in a Shiva temple mentioned in Mahabharata during his visit to Lahore in Pakistan last year. The Pakistan Government immediately accepted his plea for improving the temple and kunda.

He said he had asked the ministry concerned to show the Pakistani delegates, who visited India recently to study the construction of temples, Aksharadarshan in New Delhi, Vaishnodevi temple and Tirupati temple so that they could understand the culture and heritage of temples.

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