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| Fresh confrontation over Amarnath yatra in offing | | | Early Times Special Correspondet
Jammu | June 12
News Analysis
A high level controversy having overtones of regional and communal polarization is in offing in the state. With the departure of Gen. S K Sinha and take over of N N Vohra as the Governor of the state and consequently Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, the separatists and even some mainstream politicians in Kashmir, all out to woo the separatists, with eye on forthcoming elections to the state assembly, are all set to intensify their move to curtail the period of Amarnath Yatra as well as for withdrawal of the government order transferring 800 kanals of land in Baltal to SASB, where the latter intends to set up shelter huts and lavatories for the Amarnath pilgrims. Buoyed by the Centre's decision to replace Sinha, the author of various schemes to promote Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir, on the patron of Vaishno Devi yatra in Jammu, taking a hint in it of government of India's keenness to keep them in good humour and go to any length to project itself to be responsive to their psyche and sensitivities, the movement launched in Kashmir by various sections of the people against two month long duration of Amarnath yatra as well as many other steps taken by the outgoing Governor and Chairman of SASB, Gen. SInha, is all likely to be stepped up, to put pressure on the new Governor and Ex Officio Chairman of SASB to withdraw many steps taken by the SASB, which are opposed by various sections of Kashmiris.
The J&K Legislative Committee on Environment, headed by National Conference MLA, Mustafa Kamal, the younger brother of former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah and a former minister in his brother's cabinet, besides advising the SASB to take steps to protect the environment and ecology of the mountains around the cave shrine of Amarnath, in the wake of 4 to 5 lakh people performing the yatra annually, has also recommended curtailment of the period of yatra to 15 days in future. The National Conference, whose government in 2000 had constituted Amarnath Shrine board, through an Act of legislature, in it bid to appease the separatists and Muslim communalists who are opposed to promotion of Amarnath yatra in Kashmir, with a much larger number of people performing the same every year, has made known its move to curtail the powers of SASB, which it now believes are sweeping, leading to a parallel administrative set up, without any control of the state government on it. The leaders of the opposition in the state assembly and NC leader Abdul Rahim Rathar has told a section of media in Srinagar that his party will move a bill in the next session of the state assembly for curtailment of the powers of SASB. The NC has also joined hands with the separatists in supporting the demand for withdrawal of the government step to transfer 800 kanals of forest land in Baltal to SASB, for creating additional infrastructure and facilities for the Amarnath pilgrims.
Any taking back of these steps taken by the outgoing Governor and Chairman of SASB by the new Governor, who as such will also head the SASB or any surrender by the state government before those who have upped their ante against the steps taken by SASB, either in curtailing the period of yatra or withdrawing the order to transfer 800 kanals of land to SASB or in any way to curb the powers of autonomous board, imposing some sort of government control over it, has the potential to have a strong backlash in Jammu as well as among Hindus all over the country. Several Hindu organizations, including Vishav Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena etc are watching the development closely and preparing themselves to resist these moves and launch a counter agitation in Jammu, in case the government surrenders before the anti Amarnath yatra elements in Kashmir. A situation similar to that prevailed in 1990s, when yatra was threatened by the militants and as a backlash of it the Hindu organizations mobilized public all over the country for undertaking the Hindu pilgrimage in high Himalayas in much larger numbers as well as the one that prevailed during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's rule, when the Shrine Board and the State Chief Minister were fighting a battle over prolonging of the period of yatra, with various religious, socio cultural and even trade organizations in Jammu coming on a single platform in support of the SASB and in opposition to Mufti Sayeed's alleged obstructionist moves towards Hindu pilgrimage in Kashmir, is going to repeat itself.
Any emerging of such a scenario will provide a powerful weapon to the BJP to boost its electoral prospects in Jammu, playing the Hindu card. The Congress, which had in the past supported the SASB against Mufti Sayeed over prolonging the period of yatra to two months, will find itself in a position of being between the devil and the deep sea. Any surrender before the anti yatra elements in Kashmir, will hurt the electoral interests of Congress in Jammu. |
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