 |
|
|
Row
deepens between CM, Governor over Amarnath Yatra 17
Muslim League workers detained Attacks
not to affect peace process, says CM |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tarlochan
favours minorities’ panel for J&K Summer
vacations announced
|
|
Row deepens between
CM, Governor over
Jammu, May 29
The controversy was getting snowballed as various Hindu religious organisations accused the Mufti of trying to ‘sabotage’ the pilgrimage.
The Governor was likely to despatch a team of functionaries of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board to the spot to verify the facts.
Sources said today that there were reports that the miscreants had also broken open the locks of the offerings box.
Tension had been brewing between Mr Sinha and the Mufti, as Mufti earlier this week had overruled decisions by the Amarnath Shrine Board to increase the period of the pilgrimage this time to two months and also shift the base camp to Pahalgam from here. These decisions were taken in a meeting of the Board that was presided by the Governor.
Irked over the attitude of the Mufti, Mr Sinha yesterday fired a letter to him in which he accused the Chief Minister of “interfering” in the affairs of the autonomous board. He wrote that the government was trying to put brakes on the pilgrim traffic to the Amaranth shrine.
The strong-worded letter warned the Mufti that his unwarranted interference would defeat the whole purpose of setting up the autonomous board for the cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir.
The Governor was apparently annoyed over the silence of the Mufti to his earlier communications pertaining to the Amarnath shrine and rejection of the proposal without formally consulting the Raj Bhavan. The Governor came to know of the government’s decision only through newspapers.
Meanwhile, reports had come that while the government had so far not allowed the board to start preparations for the pilgrimage that would begin on July 1, the local authorities in Anantnag had permitted certain private individuals to pitch about 300 tents outside the cave shrine. These people had been minting money by allegedly fleecing the pilgrims.
A source regretted that the authorities did not allow the board to carry the pre-fabricated toilets for being installed at various places enroute the three-day trek to the shrine, but the private individuals had already occupied the prime places for pitching tents.
He said that the board was contemplating to preserve the ice Shivlingam in the shrine, but if the private individuals were allowed to interfere in the functioning of the board and begin the ‘puja’ earlier, the ice lingam would melt soon and the pilgrims would not be able to have “darshan”.
The government had also turned down the proposal of the shrine board to increase the pilgrimage by one month because of security reasons. Terrorists had earlier twice struck on the pilgrimage route. A fresh security strategy would be required for stretching the pilgrimage and there was not enough time for doing so this time.
The president of the Baba Amarnath Yatri Trust, Dr Ramakant Dubey, has strongly reacted to the issue and accused the Mufti of trying to sabotage the pilgrimage by interfering in the affairs of the board.
Dr Dubey alleged that on one hand the Mufti was talking of restoring normalcy by increasing tourism in Kashmir, but on the other hand he was trying to put “hurdles” in the way of pilgrims to the Hindu shrine.
He warned that the issue would be highlighted throughout the country to expose the “true face” of the Mufti.
The number of pilgrims to the Amarnath Shrine had been picking up even during terrorism and about 1.73 lakh pilgrims were allowed to visit the shrine in one month last year. The board was of the opinion of lifting the restrictions on the pilgrimage and allowing people to go to the shrine without prior registration.
The government failed to work-out a hassle-free system of registering the pilgrims and a large number of them were not allowed to proceed beyond here every year. This had been causing resentment among the pilgrims who were lathi charged by the police several times.
Meanwhile, the state BJP chief, Dr Nirmal Singh, has asked the state government not to interfere in the functioning of the Amarnath Shrine Board and assist the board in implementation of its decision to extend the pilgrimage to two months. In a statement, he warned that the people of Jammu would not tolerate any interference and attempts of scuttling the pilgrimage.
Dr Nirmal Singh said that the government’s rejection of the steps to improve the pilgrimage indicated its “obstructionist” attitude. |
|
17 Muslim League workers detained
Srinagar, May 29
The Muslim League activists, carrying banners and demanding the release of Alam, were detained at Polo View en route to the local office of UN military observers’ group for India and Pakistan at Sonawar, where they were planning to submit a memorandum, the sources said.
The league activists led by acting chairman Mian Manzoor and general secretary Hakeem Abdu Rashid gathered at Abi Guzar and started marching towards Sonawar in violation of the prohibitory orders in force in the city, the sources said.
The police intercepted them at Polo View and tried to persuade them to disperse. However, they refused, forcing the police to use batons, the sources said, adding that as the lathi charge proved ineffective, the police took Manzoor, Rashid and others into preventive custody.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) also staged an anti-America demonstration in Srinagar, calling for the withdrawal of occupational troops from Iraq and end to brutalities being allegedly committed there.
Nearly 150 lawyers led by KBA president Mian Abdul Qayoom took out the procession from lower court at Lal Chowk.
— PTI |
|
Attacks not to affect peace process, says CM
Srinagar, May 29
Cautioning against the “designs of elements inimical to peace process”, the Chief Minister said violent incidents like bomb blasts were attempts in that direction.
Mr Sayeed, speaking at the Civil and Military Liaison Conference 2004, said the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, by announcing continuation of dialogue for peace in Kashmir, “has started on a positive note”.
He said the decision to carry forward normalisation of relations with Pakistan was an equally welcome step.
The Chief Minister said greater people-to-people interaction between India and Pakistan, would “go a long way in removing several misconceptions about each other”.
Mr Sayeed specifically praised the Army’s effort in arranging meeting of separated families on either side of the LoC at Keran and said till technicalities were sorted out and Srinagar-Muzafarrabad road thrown open, similar meetings at other points would have positive result in bringing about amity and friendship.
The conference, chaired by Mr Sayeed was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, Minister of State for Home Abdul Rehman Veeri, Chief Secretary S.S. Bleoria, Financial Commissioner (Home) S D Singh, Director-General of Police Gopal Sharma and senior officers the state administration and para military forces. |
|
Tarlochan favours minorities’ panel for J&K
Jammu, May 29
Mr Tarlochan Singh, who is here to meet various delegations of minorities with regard to their problems, said if a minorities commission was set up in Jammu and Kashmir the problems being faced by them could be resolved.
Speaking at a function organised by various Sikh organisations here yesterday the Chairman of the commission said Sikhs and other minorities should mount pressure on the state government in this regard.
He informed the gathering of Sikh leaders that he would meet the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and apprise him of the need for resolving the problems of minorities.
Mr Tarlochan Singh was presented a Siropa and some books by Mahant Manjeet Singh on the occasion. Many Sikh leaders, including Mr S.S. Wazir, former president, state gurdwara prabandhak board, Mr Janak Singh, president, Akali Dal, Kashmir, Mr Narbir Singh, president, Youth Akali Dal, said Sikhs were facing discrimination in the state. They added that the percentage of Sikhs in government service was very small.
Mr Tarlochan Singh was also briefed on the problems being faced by refugees.
The Chairman of the commission said he would meet different delegations of the minorities and prepare a comprehensive report on their problems which would be submitted to the Government of India. |
|
Summer vacations
announced
Jammu, May 29
In the schools under the summer zone, vacations will start from June 1 to August 1, while those in winter zone will have it from June 1 to June 10, according to the order issued by Additional Secretary, Education Department.
Any change made by private schools in the vacation schedule will attract strict action, including withholding of their recognition, the order said.
— PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
