Do I need a visa to go to Jammu? asks Farooq

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday managed a frail consensus on an all-party delegation visiting trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir, but could not mask sharp differences over the Amarnath land-for-pilgrims issue with PDP and National Conference opposing BJP's demand for restoration of the land and recall of governor N N Vohra.

The political overtones of the decision to rescind the land transfer and the consequent upsurge in Jammu were obvious from the start.

While BJP asked the Centre to open a dialogue with Jammu agitators, and demanded restoration of land to the Amarnath shrine board and Vohra's recall, both PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and NC "patron" Farooq Abdullah played to the Valley sentiments.

BJP president Rajnath Singh voiced the party's demands and party general secretary Arun Jaitley said that just as the "psyche of the Valley had always been considered, it was time it was acknowledged that Jammu, too, had a psyche".

Opposing suggestions that the state administration run the yatra, Jaitley said religious bodies across the world oversee such traditions.

Striking a dramatic note, Abdullah said he would have to visit his father Sheikh Abdullah's grave and ask whether staying on in India after Partition had been the right decision. "A time has come when I could require a visa to visit Jammu," he said.

Mehbooba's speech was no less high-pitched as she said the blockade resulting from the Jammu stir could result in the Valley "looking to the road to Muzzaffarabad (PoK)".

The highly political speeches by PDP and NC leaders, who while catering to the hardline sentiment were also competing to "represent" the Valley, only brought out the divide over the Amarnath controversy.