Jaiswal flays BJP over Amarnath land issue

Lucknow, Jul 7 (UNI) Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Amarnath land issue, senior Congress leader and minister of state for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal today said the party was doing cheap politics on a sensitive issue like this.

''Just to gain political mileage, the BJP is doing cheap politics on revocation of land transfer to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in Jammu and Kashmir,'' Mr Jaiswal alleged at a press conference here.

''The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was also opportunist and trying to take political mileage like the BJP...this attitude has only posed danger to internal security of the country,'' he charged.

Terming both the land withdrawl and allotment decisions in the ''interest of the nation,'' the Congress leader clarified that the J &K government revoked the land transfer order as insurgents were trying to create misunderstanding in the minds of the people of Kashmir.

''After four years of hectic efforts, the Congress has got control over insurgency in the Valley...now, we do not want any such thing that might disturb peace in anyway again,'' he noted.

Therefore, the J &K government has now announced to provide land through the state tourism department at four places -- Pehelgaon, Baltal, Chandanbari and Amarnath -- for facilities to the pilgrims, Mr Jaiswal added.

UNI MB JAS AKJ BD2113