National

Maintain communal harmony at all costs: Vohra

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra on Tuesday called upon the people of the State to maintain their age-old communal harmony at all costs and do all that may be necessary to ensure the safety of life and public property.

Mr. Vohra expressed his deep concern over the damages caused to the railway track at Hiranagar and said that such acts were reprehensible and caused untold inconvenience to the travelling public besides enormous economic losses.

He observed with anguish the continuing acts of violence, assault of public servants and targeting of government property. He expressed grave concern over the incidents during the day and stressed that wanton violence and assault on public property would not yield any outcome for the agitating elements as the losses were against public interest.

Mr. Vohra hoped that in this hour of crisis, diverse sections of society would contribute their best in bringing about harmony among the people of various faiths and communities and between people of the Jammu and Kashmir regions.

The Governor said that traffic on the Srinagar-Lakhanpur national highway had been restored and the movement of fruits and essential commodities was being ensured.

He said that there was paucity of security forces as Jammu was a large area to cover.

Mr. Vohra said that he believed that there was failure of political parties. “I think political activity is important and soon after Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned [as Chief Minister] political leaders should have gone to the people and explained the situation and the circumstances.”

He said that he was hopeful of an early solution to the Amarnath land row. “I have not given up the hope,” he said. But he said he was pained to see how he was being painted by some sections of people in Jammu. “I think they are very angry with me personally because they have been led to believe that I am guilty of having compromised being person belonging to the same community… I have compromised deep religious belief and faith of the community. But this is a very unfortunate impression because I don’t think that I have done anything consciously to injure the feelings of any community”.

PTI reports:

The Governor hinted that he may not be averse to giving up the chairmanship of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, in an apparent bid to resolve the impasse that has led to violence.

Mr. Vohra, whose resignation as Governor has been demanded by the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, said he had suggested to the Samiti leaders last week that some “outsiders” in the Board who do not belong to the State could be replaced by eminent citizens of the State.

“And if it brings greater joy and happiness to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, you could well one day look at a different chairperson, not necessarily the Governor”, he told NDTV.

The People’s Democratic Party has expressed concern over the economic blockade of Muslim majority districts of Jammu and Kashmir and demanded immediate steps for its removal.

“We are voicing concern and protest over the economic blockade of the valley, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kishtwar districts which has caused scarcity of essential items in these districts. We demand immediate steps to remove the blockade,” a PDP spokesman said. “These districts are facing acute shortage of water, power and other essentials because of the blockade by communal and anti-social elements,” he said and demanded early restoration of power and water supply to these districts.

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