Ammo for BJP, calls for bandh
The decision by Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, who’s also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, to give up the claim on the 100 acres of forest land handed over to the temple authorities to build infrastructure for pilgrims.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The decision by Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, who���s also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, to give up the claim on the 100 acres of forest land handed over to the temple authorities to build infrastructure for pilgrims, has given the BJP, and the Sangh Parivar a new political weapon to beat the Congress with in the run-up to the assembly polls in the state.
The BJP saw the move as a surrender to the whims of the militants and the separatist groups. The PDP, which had made common cause with these sections, had on Saturday withdrawn its support to the state government in a clear move aimed at drawing support from the hardline Muslim opinion.
The decision to hand over forest land to the SASB was done to enable it to pre-fabricated structures for the benefit of the pilgrims bound for the holy shrine. Militant and separatist groups, however, saw in it an attempt to change the state���s demographics, and soon unleashed a campaign to fan communal tension.
The PDP, which was a party to the initial cabinet decision on the transfer of the forest land, sensing the mood among the local populace, undertook a somersault, and joined in the protests against the government move in an attempt to capitalise on the hardline Muslim opinion.
With the governor finally caving in before these sections, the BJP, and the Sangh Parivar, cried foul, and called for a statewide bandh on Monday. They also sought the removal of governor Vohra for "succumbing to pressure piled by the fundamentalists and separatists".
"We want the removal of Mr Vohra for succumbing to pressure. This is most shameful act as he has succumbed to few protests of fundamentalists and political parties," state BJP chief Ashok Khajuria said.
The party gave a call for a shutdown in the state on Monday to protest the decision, and warned that it will soon launch a nationwide agitation on the issue.
The BJP saw the move as a surrender to the whims of the militants and the separatist groups. The PDP, which had made common cause with these sections, had on Saturday withdrawn its support to the state government in a clear move aimed at drawing support from the hardline Muslim opinion.
The decision to hand over forest land to the SASB was done to enable it to pre-fabricated structures for the benefit of the pilgrims bound for the holy shrine. Militant and separatist groups, however, saw in it an attempt to change the state���s demographics, and soon unleashed a campaign to fan communal tension.
The PDP, which was a party to the initial cabinet decision on the transfer of the forest land, sensing the mood among the local populace, undertook a somersault, and joined in the protests against the government move in an attempt to capitalise on the hardline Muslim opinion.
With the governor finally caving in before these sections, the BJP, and the Sangh Parivar, cried foul, and called for a statewide bandh on Monday. They also sought the removal of governor Vohra for "succumbing to pressure piled by the fundamentalists and separatists".
"We want the removal of Mr Vohra for succumbing to pressure. This is most shameful act as he has succumbed to few protests of fundamentalists and political parties," state BJP chief Ashok Khajuria said.
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The party gave a call for a shutdown in the state on Monday to protest the decision, and warned that it will soon launch a nationwide agitation on the issue.
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