Kousarnag yatra held through traditional route: J&K government

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir government today maintained the yatra to Kounsarnag in Kulgam district of south Kashmir has been performed using the traditional route starting from Reasi and there was no question buckling under separatist pressure to stop the pilgrimage.

"The Kounsarnag yatra starts from the traditional route of Reasi in Jammu region and does not pass through the Valley. About 200 people performed the yatra this year," Home Secretary Suresh Kumar told reporters here.

In response to a question, he said there was no question iof buckling under the pressure of separatists on the issue.

"The separatists give call for boycott of many things but those things still go on. The Amarnath yatra has been going on smoothly," he said.

He said there is a traditional route for the Kounsarnag yatra. The yatra has been going on for the last four to five years.

Earlier, Tourism Minister G A Mir said the government has not given any permission to the Kousarnag yatra.

"We had not given any permission to any yatra to Kounsarnag area so the question of suspending the area under separatist pressure does not arise," Mir told PTI here.

The controversy has erupted as a little known All Parties Migrant Co-ordination Committee ( APMCC) claimed the state government had revoked the permission granted for resuming the yatra to Kounsarnag area.

"We strongly condemn the attitude of the government for buckling under the pressure of some elements hell-bent upon foiling the return of Kashmiri Pandits by stopping the Kounsar Naag yatra even after clearing it earlier," APMCC had said in a statement.