Front Page

J&K Governor withdraws shrine board claim on land

— Nissar Ahmad

DAMAGE CONTROL: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Sunday.

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said Governor N.N. Vohra in his capacity as chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) had agreed not to pursue its earlier request for the forest land, temporarily diverted to the Board for raising facilities for pilgrims.

Even as Mr. Azad claimed that the crisis was over, separatists said that until the order was revoked the agitation would continue.

After discussions with Union Minister of Water Resources and PCC chief Saifuddin Soz, Mr. Azad told a news conference that the Governor had written to him on June 27 asking whether the government would be in a position to provide the Amarnath pilgrims the facilities they enjoyed prior to the enactment of the SASB Act in 2000.

After consultations with his colleagues, Mr. Azad wrote back, saying that “it will be a privilege for the State government to provide logistics and other facilities to the pilgrims apart from the fool proof security arrangements.” The government would ensure that every facility was provided to them right from Jammu to the cave.

Following this, Mr. Vohra agreed to withdraw the board’s claim over the land.

“In view of the State government’s firm commitment that the requirements and interests of the yatris will be fully ensured and protected, the SASB does not need to pursue its earlier request for the forest land to create temporary facilities for the yatris and I have addressed the Chief Minister accordingly. ”

To queries about revoking the Cabinet order on diversion of the forest land, he said that after the letter from the Raj Bhavan there was no need to do that. To persistent questions, he said: “The Cabinet will take a decision.”

The Action Committee Against Land Transfer comprising civil society and business and traders’ associations rejected Mr. Azad’s announcement.

Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani and Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also rejected the Governor’s decision. “This is no solution. People should see the order of revocation by the Cabinet appearing in newspapers,” they said. Both leaders said the agitation would continue.

National Conference president Omar Abdullah welcomed the SASB decision. The government’s should immediately rescind the order.

People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said her party’s decision to withdraw support had worked, but wanted the government to revoke the order.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu