18 detained Samiti members released unconditionally
Work on ropeway project halted till LG constituted panel holds fresh talks
Bivek Mathur
KATRA, Dec 31: The anti-ropeway project agitation in Katra was suspended on the seventh day today after the Government and Sangharsh Samiti members reached at an agreement.
As part of the agreement, all the 18 Sangharsh Samiti members, including Bhupinder Singh and Sohan Chand, who were detained and lodged in the Reasi and Udhampur jails, were released unconditionally by the Divisional Administration.
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Further, it was promised that the work on the Katra Ropeway Project will remain stalled until and unless the Administration, through a Lieutenant Governor-constituted panel, holds fresh talks with the Sangharsh Samiti members in its next meeting.
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Addressing the media persons after a meeting with the Sangharsh Samiti members led by Bali Ram Rana this evening in Katra, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, said, “During the meeting, we assured the Samiti members that we’ll release all the detained leaders and the Samiti members assured that they will ensure that the markets open in the Katra town.”
“We also promised the Sangharsh Samiti members that the work on the ropeway project shall remain stalled until and unless they (Samiti members) hold fresh talks with a committee constituted by LG Manoj Sinha,” Kumar further said.
The committee framed by the LG comprises of four members, including Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board members Dr Ashok Bhan and Suresh Sharma, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar and CEO Shrine Board Katra, Anshul Garg.
Sources said the matter was resolved after the local BJP MLAs from Katra, Reasi and Jammu districts took up the matter with the Union MoS, Dr Jitendra Singh, who further highlighted it with the Central Government.
“It was only after Dr Jitendra Singh’s intervention that the Union Government directed the LG Administration to listen to the agitating people and initiate dialogue with them to find a way out,” they said.
Asked when the LG-led panel will will hold the talks with the Sangharsh Samiti members, the Divisional Commissioner further said: “This will be decided after taking the Sangharsh Samiti members on-board.”
Sangharsh Samiti Chairman Bali Ram Rana told the media persons that talks were going on for the past some days with the administration “and I am happy that they turned out to be successful.”
Asked when the markets will be opened, he said, “First we will meet the released Samiti members and thereafter we’ll call for opening of the markets.”
“We’ll also meet the eight youth who are on a hunger strike to end their fast by offering them the juice as they’d promised not to eat anything until and unless all the Samiti members are not released,” Rana further said.
Replying a query about the fate of the ropeway project, he said, “We’ve been promised by the Divisional Commissioner that the LG-led Panel will take care of the religious importance of the yatra and the economic interests of the people as well. So, let’s remain hopeful that everything goes well in the coming meeting.”
Earlier in the day, Katra-the base camp of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine-remained paralyzed with thousands of locals, including traders, porters and palanquin bearers, sitting on dharnas at Shalimar Chowk and Shridhar Chowk, demanding release of the 18 detained Samiti leaders.
A youth sitting on hunger strike at Shridhar Chowk was also hospitalised after his health condition deteriorated with medical examination of other strikers also conducted by the health authorities.
Meanwhile, commercial establishments, transportation services, and other daily activities also remained suspended, severely disrupting life in the region.
However, pilgrims continued to visit the holy shrine, showing resilience amid the chaos.
“We know there is a continuous shutdown in Jammu resulting in fewer boarding and lodging facilities. Even then, we have come to pay our obeisance to seek blessings for ourselves and our families,” a pilgrim said.
Temporary langars set up by the Shrine Board though provided some relief to the affected devotees.
Amidst the deadlock between the protestors, Shrine Board officials and the Administration, BJP MP from Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, Jugal Kishore Sharma, also wrote a letter to the Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Nitin Gadkari, with a request not to extend the Delhi-Katra expressway beyond Katra town.
While Sharma demanded that the Delhi-Katra expressway is constructed only up to IMS Station and not extended beyond the Katra town, other political and social organizations extended their support to the agitation.
“This is the demand of the people in the area. The extension up to Tarakote Marg has affected more than 1 lakh people in Katra. Pilgrims and tourists will directly reach Tarakote Marg, bypassing the old markets of Katra, leading to significant economic losses. The entire market area of Katra, Banganga, and Charanpaduka has been neglected. Pilgrims will also miss out on the local hospitality of the people,” Sharma wrote.
The BJP MP also pointed out that Katra is currently paralyzed, with youth on hunger strike for several days.
He urged Minister Gadkari to personally intervene and direct the concerned authorities to construct the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway only up to IMS Station Katra, and to suspend its proposed linking with Tarakote Marg.
Dr Rameshwar Singh, MLA of the Bani Assembly segment, visited the protest site, expressing solidarity with the protestors.
He urged the Government to reconsider the ropeway project and called on elected representatives from the Jammu region to unite and support the cause of Katra.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry also held a meeting in Jammu under the leadership of Arun Gupta to discuss the ongoing unrest and the release of the detained youth.
Movement Kalki, a social organization, also conducted an awareness campaign to highlight the potential harm to Katra’s religious and cultural heritage.
The organization also demanded the release of the detained Samiti leaders and called for the initiation of talks to end the ongoing agitation.
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