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| Rather's statement upsets Cong, BJP | | Road to Amarnath Shrine | | Rustam
JAMMU, Aug 21:The NC ideologue and Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather's August 19 Srinagar statement that "the state government has no plans to make a road to the Amarnath Shrine cave or raise any infrastructure at the cave site" and that the "Supreme Court of has not directed the state government to construct a road to the shrine before snowfall in winter" has upset both the BJP and the Congress, besides some other Jammu-based political leaders. Significantly, Rather made this provocative statement at a press conference .The most significant aspect of the whole situation was that the government chose Sunday for making public the official stand on the Supreme Court's reported suggestions. It was an extraordinary press conference and the purpose was to convince the anti-yatra elements in Kashmir that the state government is with them and that the state government will no do anything that the fanatics in Kashmir don't like.
One can understand the reasons behind the adverse reaction the Rather's statement evoked from the BJP and other non-Congress, non-NC and non-PDP Jammu-based leaders. For, they have always accused the state government and Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) of vitiating the Amarnath yatra under one pretext or the other. It has been their stand that the state government and the Shrine Board can go to any extent to appease the "fanatics" in Kashmir and others who want that the duration of yatra and number of pilgrims must be drastically curtailed in order to ensure that the "fragile ecology of the region is preserved and environment not polluted". The BJP and similar other outfits cannot be questioned when they level serious allegations against the state government and the Shrine Board, as their allegations, including the charge that the state governor has failed to discharge his obligations as far as the smooth conduct of the yatra is concerned, appear to be well-founded.
But one fails to understand why some Jammu-based Congress leaders and both the Congress MPs have not taken kindly the statement made by Abdul Rahim Rather. Besides, it is also not understandable why these Congress leaders, including one former cabinet minister and MPs, have directed their attack only towards the NC minister. For, it was not only Rather who made the government stand public. It wa the coalition govrenment which addressed a joint press conference in order to make it loud and clear that their government has no plan whatsoever to either construct a road leading up to the cave shrine or raising the necessary infrastructure at the site for creating adequate facilities for pilgrims.
It is intriguing that these Congress leaders have targeted the NC despite Congress being allaince partner , having 'unanimity' almost on all major issues including this one. It is also intriguing that the Congress party has not uttered a word in support of or against what was stated in the press conference on Sunday. The Congress party has, of course, distanced itself by saying that "it has not gone through the Supreme Court verdict".
It would be better if the Congress leadership sit up, discuss the issue in minute details and then come out with a definite statement on the issue. Not to do so or to continue to speak differently at different places would be only to make the people say that the Congress is playing dirty politics. |
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