The Hindu : National : No decision yet on extending Amarnath yatra: Mufti

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Saturday, Jun 26, 2004

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No decision yet on extending Amarnath yatra: Mufti

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, JUNE 25. The controversy over the extension of the Amarnath yatra deepened today with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, maintaining that no decision had been taken so far by the Government on the issue. He contradicted the official spokesman's announcement that it had been extended for 40 days from 30 days.

As news about the extension of the annual pilgrimage started circulating and the official spokesman confirming it in a press statement, Mr. Sayeed differed with his own Information Department. "No decision has been taken as yet. Let us see what happens," Mr. Sayeed told The Hindu . He said nobody had been authorised to issue a statement. "We will let you know in due course of time," Mr. Sayeed said and added that he had no knowledge of any direction from the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, to reconsider the decision to cut short the yatra period.

Earlier, the official spokesman, in a statement said, that "the duration of the current year's Shri Amarnath Ji yatra has been extended from 30 days to 40 days. Now, the annual Shri Amarnath Ji yatra will commence from July 20 from Jammu instead of August 1."

According to the revised schedule, the first group of pilgrims with permits from the Baltal route shall have darshan of the Holy Ice Lingam in the cave shrine on July 21 while those taking the traditional route shall proceed from Pahalgam on July 21, he said adding that the Jammu and Kashmir Government has taken this decision in view of the representations made by various organisations and individuals for extension of the yatra period. ``The security scenario and other factors were considered while taking the decision to extend the duration of the yatra this year. The security forces and the police have been asked to take immediate necessary action accordingly for mobilisation and deployment of forces to ensure the safety of pilgrims,'' said the spokesman adding that in view of the increased violence, particularly during the elections and post-election phases, the Government had to ensure that there was no let-up in the anti-militancy operations.

``This is for the first time that the period of annual Shri Amarnath Ji yatra has been extended beyond one month. During pre-militancy period, the yatra used to be for a brief period,'' he added.

On Thursday, four Ministers of the Congress had sent in their resignations to the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad, in protest against the decision not to extend the yatra. Today, the senior Congress leader and former Sadr-e-Riyasat, Karan Singh, also appealed to State Government not be rigid on the stand and extend the yatra for two months.

Earlier, a news agency reported that the decision to extend the yatra followed directions from the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, asking the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, to sort out the matter ``suitably and amicably''.

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