The administration and the people in general heaved a sigh of relief on peaceful dilution of tension caused by the decision of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to begin yatra to the holy Amarnath cave on the day of Jyeshtha Purnima. Actually the Shrine Board had decided that the yatra should be undertaken from 25 June but the VHP wanted to begin it earlier. For the administration, there were many difficulties to change the schedule. We should know that a large police force is needed for deployment all along the road and the path up to the holy cave to ensure security of the pilgrims. As many as 74 battalions of CRP have to be deployed to make the security foolproof.
A large number of VHP activists gathered at the Parade Ground Jammu wherefrom their caravan would start for a march towards Srinagar. This posed a great and difficult challenge to the police that had directions not to allow the yatris to proceed further from Jammu. At the same time, hundreds of yatris were detained at various towns who wanted to join the rally at Parade Ground. The situation seemed tense and threatening.
But fortunately, the administration showed extraordinary alertness and patience in handling the tense situation. Even some people addressing the large crowd of about 800 souls in Parade Ground issued threats and challenges. But the police remained unmoved and unprovoked. Obviously, the administration had done good spade work to meet the challenge and what ultimately happened is a clear sign that there was total change in the strategy of the police in handling the event. In normal course of things this would have called show of muscle power on either side especially the police as usually happen on occasions like these. The yatris would have resisted and in the melee that would ensue out of this situation, something ugly could have happened. But nothing happened and this event passed without creating any commotion.
Credit should be given to both the Governor as the Chairman of the Shrine Board and the Chief Minister for very sensible and patient handling of the situation. The entire administrative machinery right from the Divisional Commissioner to IGP Jammu and many more officers engaged the VHP leadership in a discussion why the Government would not be in a position not to allow the yatris proceed to the holy cave right now. Their argument was that both the hill tracks of Baltal and Chandanwari were snow bound and not fit for travel for the yataris at this point of time. Keeping the past experience in mind in which a number of yatris lost their lives owing to inclement weather, the government was not prepared to take any risk at this time. This was more important in view of the fact that the pilgrims are usually ill clad and not aware of the climatic conditions prevailing over the Himalayas. Availability of medical aid under snow conditions was very difficult rather impossible. Even other infrastructural facilities like the ponies the coolies and supplies etc. Were also at a risk and could not be assured. Therefore there was ample force in the argument of authorities that the yatra would not be allowed.
Credit must also go to the organisers of the pilgrimage who understood the view of the authorities and accepted to disperse peacefully and not go ahead with their insistence. As a gesture of goodwill, the authorities arranged langar meaning free meals for the pilgrims and Yatri Bhawan in Mohinder Nagar. This created a fund of goodwill between the police force and the pilgrims and a situation that was likely to turn ugly was nipped in the bud. This event has a good lesson for the police force and the authorities for their future guidance. The lesson is that the use of muscle power should be the last resort with the police and law enforcing agencies. It is possible to resolve tense situations through interaction and discussion in an objective and realistic manner. Normally what happens is that the police believe it has to strike at the mobs in any case and they do it brutally thereby helping situation go out of hands. All those officers in civil and police ranks who were responsible for handling this grave situation need to be complimented on their patient and effective handling of the situation. At the same time, it is important for organizers of social and religious evens that they plan their events in a way that least disturbance is done to normal life. Religious event is an occasion of peace and tranquillity for all and it should not be converted into confrontation of sorts. We hope that the experience gained by both sides in the course of this event will become a desk book formula for the police and the administration. We need peaceful summer this year in any case so that the Government can attend to developmental works waiting to be brought to completion.
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