More bodies condemn Govt stand on widening of track to Amarnath shrine

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 22: More organizations have criticized the State Government’s stand on construction of road to holy shrine of Swami Amarnath in Kashmir valley.
In its emergency meeting here today the International Hindu Personnel Law Board, Jammu & Kashmir held under the chairmanship of its state president Romesh Gupta strong exception was taken to the statement of Finance Minster Abdul Rahim Rather who has said that there was no proposal to construct road to holy shrine of Swami Amarnath Ji.
Mr Gupta urged the Government not to interfere religious affairs of Hindus as such statements are bound to create bad feelings.
Defending the construction of road to holy cave Mr Gupta said is not the ecology threatened by visit of tourists and asked that why such a hue and cry is raised on the name of Shri Amarnath pilgrimage every time.
Suman Sharma senior vice president of the Board said that State Government has been mute spectator to death of over 100 pilgrims during the yatra period this year.
Dogra Brahmin Pratinidhi Sabha while sharply responding to the statements of separatists and so called civil society to the Supreme Court directives to the construction of road for holy shrine of Amarnath has termed it a part of big conspiracy.
In a joint statement issued here today the Sabha has also criticized the statement of Mr Rather who has said that the Government has no plans to construct the road and termed it an attempt to placate and appease the separatists and religious fundamentalists in the Valley.
The meeting said the anti Amarnath forces in Kashmir are once again ganging up to obstruct the smooth conduct of yatra. The joint statement was given by K K Paroch Retd District and Session judge, R R Sharma retired SP, Prof Devender Sharma, former president of All India Brahman Federation, Inderjit Khajuria, M L Sharma, Raj Baru, Madhu Sharma and Ravinder Sharma. They demanded that Justice Mukherjee Committee report and Nitish Sen Gupta Committee report be also implemented.
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) senior vice president R K Raina while addressing a meeting of the organization held here today to discuss the developments taken place after the statement of Mr Rather said the statement was a deliberate attempt on the part of the Government to please its constituency and voters.
The meeting which was also attended by ASKPC president H L Chatta said that NC has been exposed time and again as its leadership always gave a lip sympathy to secularism.