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| Land –neither taken, nor returned: Vohra | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | July 14
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I am planning to set up a consultative board of all faiths, of all religions, particularly the people in Jammu, responsible, respectable people to advice us, what should be done in the years to come
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So, Says Governor
• No land was in possession on the given day
• In a democracy, politics plays its role… nothing motivated
• Board will continue to discharge its legal functions
• People of Jammu are martial races; they have served the countries for ages
In his first ever opinion on the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board land controversy, the Governor NN Vohra has said that things have been blown out of proportion due to misunderstanding as neither the land was taken over nor returned. The Governor also hinted at constituting an all faith consultative committee to advise the government on Shri Amarnath pilgrimage affairs. However, he has asserted that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is going on smoothly and there is no room for either any changes or any criticism.
"First of all, I think it's necessary to understand, no land was taken neither any land returned. I want to make it very clear no land has been returned, no land was in possession on the given day", said the Governor in an interview to a television channel when asked that what was the logic of giving back the land to the state government?
He said that the board has sought categorical assurance from the state government that all logistical developments, infrastructural support which will be required by the yatra in the years to come will be provided. "The board will continue to discharge its legal functions", added the Governor.
When asked if the decision was politically motivated, the Governor said, "in a democracy, politics plays its role, there is nothing motivated. There was certain background before I came here, I don't want to go into why it happened. We have given assurance of the state government that they will continue to provide us land, make buildings for us, facilities that we require. The board is strengthened by this decision and we will continue to do our job in the board".
Refusing into go into details of whether the land was required by the board or not, the Governor said, "it is the state government owned land, forest owned land, and the board is allowed to utilize it for a period it requires and provide the facilities that need to be provided to the yatris. I see no difficulty at all and I see no controversy".
To a question on regional and communal polarization over on Amarnath Shrine land controversy, the Goevrnor said, "there have been problems in the past in Jammu & Kashmir. I am a little pained, little concerned, the people of Jammu are martial races, they have served the countries for ages". He added, "it's distressing that doubts are created about the role of the board and about the future of the yatra. All I can tell you is that we are willing to come forward and discuss these matters".
The Governor deeply regretted that the delegations preferred not meet him for a discussion on the issue. To the reported statements of the agitators raising pitch of protests in coming days, the Vohra said, "I have nothing to say about raising the level of agitation. I have already said in a press communique, which was issued on the day the government decided this thing. I am planning to set up a consultative board of all faiths, of all religions, particularly the people in Jammu, responsible, respectable people to advice us, what should be done in the years to come".
He told the interviewer that the Mata Vaihno Devi shrine board doesn't come in the picture at all, it's a very powerful arrangement. It's a very good act and the board is functioning very well indeed. "We have several important members of the board from amongst the public at large and I do not see how anybody can bring in the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Affairs into this controversy", said Vohra.
He added, "I will strongly disapprove of any such move because things are going on very well and we have plans of doing many more things. In fact, we had a meeting of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in Srinagar the other day, we have good resources and we have good technical expertise, we find that the entry point to the shrine is Katra and Katra now cannot take such large numbers of yatris. So we plan to undertake very large scale development in Katra".
When asking about the apprehensions of delaying the assembly elections, Vohra said, "I don't want to get into that at this stage, there is absolutely no basis for such thinking. It's all speculation. I would denounce that very clearly". |
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