The Omar Abdullah government faces a serious challenge in the wake of saffron groups deciding to start the annual Amarnath yatra on their own by sending 40,000 pilgrims to the cave shrine from June 14, a fortnight ahead of the official date of commencement.
The Omar Abdullah government faces a serious challenge in the wake of saffron groups deciding to start the annual Amarnath yatra on their own by sending 40,000 pilgrims to the cave shrine from June 14, a fortnight ahead of the official date of commencement.
"Around 40,000 pilgrims have registered themselves so far. We will start the yatra on Jesth Purnima, according to Hindu calendar, and the first darshan will take place on June 15," said Surinder Mohan Agarwal, president of Shri Baba Amaranth and Shri Baba Buda Amaranth Yatri Niyas. For the yatra organised by the government, more than two lakh pilgrims had registered till June 1.
"Worshippers grow every year. Instead of extending the yatra period given the huge rush, the shrine board has curtailed it by 15 days. There is no logic behind it. And that is why we are starting our yatra ahead of the official date. If the government does not allow us, we are ready to be arrested," Agarwal said.
A J&K government official said the decision about the duration was taken after taking into consideration the safety of the devotees and smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
Rejecting all the offers of the government to hold talks to work out a compromise, the representatives of the Hindu groups said they were shocked by the government's attitude, which they alleged was “anti-Hindu and anti-pilgrimage”.
They were particularly agitated over Abdullah's reiteration that the government would deal sternly with those attempting to start the yatra ahead of schedule.
“The chief minister has hurt the sentiments of Hindus by declaring that he would take all measures to stall the pilgrimage before June 29,” said Surinder Jain, spokesman of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. “This is an assault on our religious and fundamental rights,” he said.
“This is an assault on our religious and fundamental rights,” he said.
It is reliably learnt that the state government has passed on strict instructions to the police that no pilgrim be allowed to move towards Pahalgam or Baltal to undertake the pilgrimage.
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