'Political conspiracy sabotaging Amarnath yatra'

Jammu, July 5: Taking serious note of melting of ice Shivalingam at the Shri Amarnathji cave shrine, a Kahmiri Pandits' organisation today accused the state government of being 'indifferent' towards Hindu shrines in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference here, Panuan Kashmir chairman Ajay Charangoo said, ''There is a politically motivated conspiracy to sabotage the entire Amarnath pilgrimage that attracts Hindu devotees from across the world to Kashmir.

''It appears that the fiasco is deliberately orchestrated by a segment of administration and a section of the ruling coalition, perhaps to foil the entire yatra,'' he added.

Dr Charangoo charged the administration with gross dereliction on their part and said the proper conduct of the yatra was being ignored.

He said the state government had failed to provide facilities to the yatris. ''Even for sleeping in the corridors of the hotels at Sonmarg, the yatris have to pay Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per night while the private transport operators are charging three times the normal fare,'' he said.

Initially, he said, the state government had declared that the State Road Transport Corporation would run buses directly from Delhi to Baltal, but now even the local buses were not allowed to ply.

''There seems to be a nexus between a segment of state administration, transporters, hoteliers and locals to mint money out of yatris,'' the KP leader alleged.

He further alleged that government had not spent the Central funds provided for the infrastructural development for the Amarnath cave shrine.

The Kashmiri leader demanded that the Amarnath yatra be allowed for the entire summer season. ''This will decrease the rush and help in better infrastructural development along the route,'' he asserted.

UNI

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