Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti to shutdown in Jammu

Jammu, Jul 31: The Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, which is spearheading a campaign against the revocation of the State Government's order to transfer forestland to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), has said it plans to extend its shutdown for another 72 hours. "We will give our demands in writing to them and we will take the outcome in writing. After talks, we'll discuss within our committee members about the pros and cons. But the agitation will be intensified further. We have extended the shutdown for 72 hours," said Leela Karan Sharma, the chief of the Samiti.

The situation has been tense since the Samiti defied a curfew to protest. The protesters are demanding the restoration of forestland allotted to the Samiti by the State Government for making makeshift facilities for pilgrims to the Amarnath shrine. The ongoing unrest is supported by about 30 Hindu organisations. On July 1, the State Government had withdrawn its May 26 order to allocate 40 hectare of land to the shrine board following massive Muslim street protests against the order. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had to resign over the issue following his Government's failure to win a trust vote in the State Assembly.

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ANI