AMRITSAR, JUNE 5, 2012 (India Times): The Pakistan government was only keen on developing a cluster of Katasraj temples situated in Chakwal district of Pakistan as a heritage site and not as a prominent Hindu religious site, said researcher and historian Surinder Kochhar while talking to TOI on Tuesday. He said though the Pakistan government had undertaken restoration work of the main Katasraj temple, Luxmi Narayan temple, Hanuman Garhi, Sita Garhi, Ram Mandir, Shiv Mandir and haveli of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, it had denied the installation of Deity statues in the temples.
“Pakistan has been trying to nominate Kastsraj Temples as a World Heritage Site so it may not want to promote it as a Hidhu religious site” he observed. Earlier in 2005, the BJP leader L.K. Advani had inaugurated the renovation work of the Katasraj temples but the work was stalled due to financial constraints.
President of All India Hindu Shiv Sena, Surinder Kumar Billa, who had led Hindu jatha’s to Pakistan said “The temples are in dilapidated condition and the Pakistan government, under a planned conspiracy, want to eradicate the signs of Hindu religion at Katasraj by promoting it as a heritage site”.