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J&K Govt rubbishes Geelani paranoia
Ahead of hardliner Syed Ali Geelani’s call for shutdown to exhibit resistance against alleged proposals to macadamise tracks leading to the holy Amarnath caves, the Jammu & Kashmir Government clarified that neither the Supreme Court nor the Union Government has issued any direction or proposal regarding construction of road to the shrine.
The apex court has asked the Jammu & Kashmir Government to take “constructive” measures to improve the facilities for Amarnath pilgrims. The directive came in wake of the suo moto cognisance of the apex court on increased number of pilgrim deaths during the annual yatra that concluded on August 3.
Geelani has said that the pilgrimage is being used to change the demography of Muslim-dominated Jammu & Kashmir through settlement of non-locals. He said that the increasing number of pilgrims is playing havoc with the fragile ecology of the region.
He has called for a shutdown in Kashmir valley to create awareness among the people on the “Government of India’s religious, social and ecological aggression in Kashmir through Amarnath yatra”.
“India is politicising the yatra in Kashmir. In the past it was limited to religious affairs. About 30 to 100 people were visiting the cave shrine but now India is increasingly using it as a tool for strengthening its control over Jammu & Kashmir,” Geelani said, adding, “The yatra is one of the main pillars of military control in Kashmir. Lakhs are invited to frighten the local people and give them an impression that India is not going to leave them.”
However, the State Government has rubbished Geelani’s claims. “Let me make it clear that the Forest Ministry has not received any proposal for construction of road or other infrastructure in the Amarnath Cave area,” Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad said. He said that his Ministry is formulating a concrete proposal to tackle the environmental issues sparked by the yatra.
“Our officers are always there to convey to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board about the pollution arising as a result of garbage and other non-biodegradable waste,” Altaf said. The Kashmir High Court Bar Association has announced its decision to abstain from court functioning on Tuesday as a mark of support to Geelani’s call.
After the Amarnath land row in 2008, which divided the J&K State on communal lines and resulted in fall of the Ghulam Nabi Azad led coalition government, the authorities are viewing the situation carefully in the wake of apex court’s directions and the separatists’ response.
Ahead of hardliner Syed Ali Geelani’s call for shutdown to exhibit resistance against alleged proposals to macadamise tracks leading to the holy Amarnath caves, the Jammu & Kashmir Government clarified that neither the Supreme Court nor the Union Government has issued any direction or proposal regarding construction of road to the shrine.
The apex court has asked the Jammu & Kashmir Government to take “constructive” measures to improve the facilities for Amarnath pilgrims. The directive came in wake of the suo moto cognisance of the apex court on increased number of pilgrim deaths during the annual yatra that concluded on August 3.
Geelani has said that the pilgrimage is being used to change the demography of Muslim-dominated Jammu & Kashmir through settlement of non-locals. He said that the increasing number of pilgrims is playing havoc with the fragile ecology of the region.
He has called for a shutdown in Kashmir valley to create awareness among the people on the “Government of India’s religious, social and ecological aggression in Kashmir through Amarnath yatra”.
“India is politicising the yatra in Kashmir. In the past it was limited to religious affairs. About 30 to 100 people were visiting the cave shrine but now India is increasingly using it as a tool for strengthening its control over Jammu & Kashmir,” Geelani said, adding, “The yatra is one of the main pillars of military control in Kashmir. Lakhs are invited to frighten the local people and give them an impression that India is not going to leave them.”
However, the State Government has rubbished Geelani’s claims. “Let me make it clear that the Forest Ministry has not received any proposal for construction of road or other infrastructure in the Amarnath Cave area,” Minister for Forest and Environment Mian Altaf Ahmad said. He said that his Ministry is formulating a concrete proposal to tackle the environmental issues sparked by the yatra.
“Our officers are always there to convey to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board about the pollution arising as a result of garbage and other non-biodegradable waste,” Altaf said. The Kashmir High Court Bar Association has announced its decision to abstain from court functioning on Tuesday as a mark of support to Geelani’s call.
After the Amarnath land row in 2008, which divided the J&K State on communal lines and resulted in fall of the Ghulam Nabi Azad led coalition government, the authorities are viewing the situation carefully in the wake of apex court’s directions and the separatists’ response.
