Other States - Jammu & Kashmir   

BJP for construction of permanent shelters for Amarnath pilgrims

Jammu: The Bharatiya Janta Party on Tuesday demanded construction of permanent shelters at Baltal-Domail and Pahalgam areas in the Valley for the Amarnath pilgrims.

The government should raise permanent structures at these places and hand them over to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to help pilgrims visiting the cave shrine from different parts of the country, BJP leaders told reporters here.

State BJP president Ashok Khajuria said a resolution to this effect has been adopted at the party’s two-day State working committee meeting which concluded here on July 20.

BJP is not in favour of setting up temporary and pre-fabricated structures for the yatris during the Amarnath pilgrimage, he said, adding that it wants permanent structures to be raised while taking care of all environmental aspects.

Mr. Khajuria alleged that Governor N.N. Vohra, who assumed office on June 25 replacing Lt Gen. (retd.) S.K. Sinha, succumbed to the pressure of Congress, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the controversial land transfer issue involving the SASB.

He also accused Mr. Vohra of adopting a partisan approach on the issue

“Mr. Vohra’s controversial action undoubtedly negated the work of his predecessor, who had fought relentlessly for the sanctity of the board between 2003-2008,” he said.

A senior BJP leader and former Union minister Chaman Lal Gupta demanded that the shrine board should be restored to its original position and none should dare tinker with the Shrine Board Act in future. -- PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

BJP for construction of permanent shelters for Amarnath pilgrims
J&K Governor sets deadline for Dal Lake conservation

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu