Amarnath row: Jammu bandh extended by five days

JAMMU: The organisation leading Amarnath land row agitation has extended Jammu bandh by another five days from Monday and charged state administration for its "oppressive measures" and gagging the voice of media.

Curfew has also been extended by five days in Jammu and adjoining areas as the unrest over the Amarnath land transfer row spread to Srinagar. ( Watch )

Army has been called in to keep the situation under control.

"We have extended Jammu bandh by another five day from today over our demand to remove Vohra and restore the land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB)," SASS convener Leela Karan Sharma said.

Lambasting Vohra and his administration for oppressive measure on protesters and gagging media, Sharma said "we will not be cowed down by such autocratic attitude of the state government and would stick to our core demands."

The decision to extend bandh was taken at an executive meeting of samiti at Geeta Bhawan on Sunday.

Sharma strongly condemned the rigid attitude of the state government towards the agitating people. "Government has adopted the path of confrontation by imposing curfew and calling army which will have serious repercussions.

"There is war like situation in Jammu as government has imposed an undeclared martial-law as a result there is a lot of anger among the people against the present dispensation," he said.

Ruling out holding any negotiation with the Governor, he said "Since samiti does not get assurance on restoration of land to SASB, they will not hold talks with him (Vohra)."

The ongoing agitation on Amarnath land row has entered 37th day on Monday.

The tension had serious fallout on Sunday, when the Jammu administration blacked out two local TV news channels and sealed the offices of two Hindi dailies for allegedly whipping up communal passions. As many as 37 people were injured in the clashes on Sunday and curfew was imposed at various places in Udhampur and Rajouri districts.

Chief Secretary S S Kapur had said action was taken against the media houses which defied the official advisory.

SMS service stopped to curb rumours

On Sunday, the curfew was imposed after protesters indulged in largescale arson and stone-pelting. Army conducted flag marches even as authorities suspended the SMS service of mobile operators to curb rumours. The move sparked protests, as a large number of people defied the curfew and staged a demonstration prompting police to resort to cane-charge and fire tear gas shells. Army was called into Jammu's Gandhi Nagar area to restore order.