Jammu, June 3
Several Hindu organisations and those connected with the hotel and transport businesses have renewed their demand for extending the period of the annual Amarnath yatra by a month.
At a meeting here last evening, several leaders, including those belonging to the VHP, the Brahmin Pratinidhi Sabha, and the Rajput Sabha, made a fresh plea to the government for allowing pilgrims to visit the holy cave of Amarnath for two months instead of a month. They argued that “as per the Hindu calendar the annual yatra period needed to be extended by a month because of an extra (Purshotam) month from July 2 to August 30.”
However, government sources said the recommendations of the Amarnath Shrine Board for extending the yatra by a month could not be accepted as it involved
deployment of several columns of the police, paramilitary forces and the Army for the yatra duty.”
A senior government functionary said here today that by extending the duration of the yatra by a month, it could bring additional revenue not only to the government but to traders and
transporters. But the government is more concerned about the security of the pilgrims than about monetary benefits that may flow from the two-month yatra period.
He said, “A large number of police and paramilitary personnel have to escort pilgrims for 30 days daily from Jammu to the cave. Besides, the troops and the paramilitary forces have to guard the 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway against any rebel attack.”
He said in case the yatra period was extended, several companies of the security forces would get tied up with the yatra management, leaving a small force for carrying out anti-insurgency operations.
Besides security-related problems, pilgrims face a lot of ordeals while searching for suitable board and lodging facilities as the government has limited accommodation, even though school buildings and tents are kept at the disposal of the pilgrims.
Leaders of several Hindu organisations have, meanwhile, urged the government to stop charging Rs 10 as registration fee and Rs 20 for insurance cover from the pilgrims. The government, they argued, should pay for the insurance cover.
They demanded end to restrictions on philanthrophists who set up stalls for distribution of food and other eatables to pilgrims free of cost. Goods, including rice, flour, ghee, pulses and other items, which these philanthrophists transported from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, should not be taxed at the Lakhanpur barrier.
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