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Amarnath Yatra resumes

Jammu: The Amarnath Yatra resumed on Thursday, with a fresh batch of 2,906 pilgrims proceeding to the cave shrine from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here. The yatra was suspended on Wednesday.

Police said the batch that includes 677 women and 118 children left in 88 vehicles at 5 a.m. Although officials attributed the suspension of the yatra to the large crowds, the protest over the transfer of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board is being cited as the real reason. There have been large-scale cancellations by pilgrims in the wake of the protests.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has set a deadline till June 30 for the revocation of the Cabinet order which ratified the land transfer on behalf of the State executive. Otherwise, it said it would withdraw support to the Azad-led coalition government.

The PDP has 19 members in the 87-member Assembly. The Congress has 21 MLAs and the support of eight independents. It also has the support of two CPI(M) members. As the Assembly elections are due in October, the impact of the PDP’s withdrawal would be minimal.

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