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| Govt resumes extra-curricular activities, ignores Amarnath Yatra ! | | ‘If extra- curricular functions can resume, why not pilgrimage?’ | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 16: Even as the Jammu and Kashmir government has resumed “extra-curricular” activities and even reopened parks and gardens in Kashmir, the decision to cancel the revered annual Shri Amaranthji Yatra is not being reconsidered despite numerous appeals from the devotees.
While parks and gardens in Kashmir are seen “flooded with visitors” and government has been asking people to attend cultural events recently inaugurated in Kashmir, there has been silence over the cancellation of the annual pilgrimage.
While the parks and gardens were closed in the wake of the second wave of Covid19, the government had subsequently cancelled the scheduled Shri Amarnathji pilgrimage.
On June 21, the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha cancelled the annual Amarnath pilgrimage amid the Covid-19 pandemic. “Shri Amarnathji Yatra cancelled in wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Decision after threadbare discussion with Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board members. Yatra to be symbolic only. However, all the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice,” he posted on his Twitter handle.
“It’s important to save people’s lives. So, it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year’s pilgrimage in the larger public interest,” he added.
The 56-day yatra to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the upper reaches of South Kashmir Himalayas, was scheduled to start from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal on June 28 and culminate on August 22.
Ironically, the government recently reconsidered its decision of having closed down parks and gardens in Kashmir. On July 9, the parks and gardens were reopened as a part of the Covid19 lockdown relaxations.
Interestingly, the government subsequently resumed numerous “extra curricular activities and cultural events.”
On July 10, the LG Manoj Sinha inaugurated a 15-day ‘Kashmir Haat’ craft fair here in an effort to support artisans of the union territory, an official said.
Speaking on the occasion, the LG said ‘Kashmir Haat’ was being revamped to provide the best ambience to locals and tourists for crafts, food, and cultural activities.
People can explore the mystical world of Kashmiri art and savour the unique flavours of delightful local cuisines, he added.
“But while people are being asked to “explore the mystical world of Kashmiri art and savour the unique flavours of delightful local cuisines,” the resumption of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, which concerns sentiments of millions of devotees, is nowhere in sight.
Observes said the LG should have called a fresh meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board to decide about Yatra in the wake of improvement in Covied19 situation.
“Around a month is still left for the Yatra. The security forces, and other concerned departments like Health are already on the job. Why can’t their services be utilized through resumption of Yatra? Is this not waste of public money that government resources are on standby but aspirations of prospective pilgrims are being ignored,” said a delegation of Amarnath devotees who aspired to undertake Yatra this year.
It is pertinent to mention that since 2019, the annual pilgrimage couldn’t be held. First, due to threat from terror groups, and subsequently in 2020 due to Covid pandemic.
Now when government is busy resuming cultural activities and sporting events like golf training programs, the issue of Yatra is being ignored.
When contacted a senior official told Early Times on the condition of anonymity that the demand for holding Yatra with “apparently improvement is genuine” but that only the concerned authorities could reconsider the decision. |
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