VHP, BJP threaten nationwide agitation
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) warned state administration and
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board against provoking sentiments of people by fiddling
with matters of faith. State Chief Spokesperson & National Executive Member
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that government has refused to learn from experience of
previous years when Amarnath land row had rocked entire country because of
government’s wrong decisions coupled with thoughtless statements like “Ek Inch
Zameen Nahin Denge” in Parliament at New-Delhi.
Describing that government prompted Amarnath Shrine Board
decision to curtail period of Amarnath yatra by 15 days as yet another ploy to
appease Kashmir separatists and semi-separatists, Dr. Jitendra Singh said on
basis of pure logic or rationale, there is nothing that could justify this
decision either ethically or scientifically. Dr. Singh questioned the argument
that date of yatra commencement had been postponed to 29 June from 13 June
because of unsuitable weather conditions and countered that even during routine
yatra periods there are occasions when weather storms and rains interfere with yatra
and yatra is in such cases temporarily suspended. The same analogy could be
applied even if yatra was allowed to start on 13 June as per earlier scheduled,
he said.
From the point of religious faith, Dr. Singh explained that
as per time-honoured tradition, yatra must start on the day of “Jyeshth Purnima
” which falls on 13 June and therefore sanctity of Yatra is liable to be eroded
if holy dates are tampered. Dr. Singh further alleged that for last few years, Shrine
Board and administration have betrayed tendency to use Amarnath yatra as a
means to appease Kashmir separatists and added that Kashmir-centric political
parties enter into a race for upmanship to achieve this purpose. This is a
dangerous trend and could lead to a countrywide reaction on same lines as was
witnessed during Amarnath land agitation of 2008.
Dr. Singh said that if authorities were sincere, instead of
interfering with scheduled dates of Yatra, they would have endeavored to employ
and engage latest scientific methods to ensure friendly conduct of yatra in
event of weather uncertainties, if any. Dr. Singh advised Shrine Board not to
become a tool for politicking by government and suggested that conglomerate organization
of “Baba Amarnath & Baba Budha Amarnath Yatra Nyas” be taken into
confidence before taking any final decisions in matter.
Meanwhile, annoyed with decision to curtail Amarnath yatra by 15-days, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) threatened to launch country-wide agitation if decision was not re-reconsidered. Governor N N Vohra in a statement has said that yatra should be curtailed by 15-days. " Vohra should change his decision of curtailment in Amarnath yatra period by 15 days and make an announcement of holding complete 2-month longs yatra as per traditional and religious calendar", VHP State President Dr Ramakant Dubey said. Dubey said that Governor had fallen to separatist forces’ and other allied elements and curtailed yatra by 15 days. Vohra has violated religious calendar of yatra. "If decision to curtail yatra was not reversed, VHP along with its sister organizations will launch agitation across the country ", he Dubey.
Tags: Shri Amarnath Pilgrimage , Yatra
