Lift ban on movement in disputed places: Advani to China

Mysore, Jan 18: Former Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of theOpposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani today asked China to lift theban on the movement of people in disputed places between Leh andManasasarovar to facilitate devotees to visit Kailasa Parvatha andother centres.

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

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

Mr Advani said he had visited the 'kunda' (tank) in a Shiva templementioned in Mahabharata during his visit to Lahore in Pakistan lastyear. The Pakistan Government immediately accepted his plea forimproving the temple and kunda.

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

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