Shrine land: PDP withdraws support to JK govt

Srinagar, Jun 29: The Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), a coalition partner of the Jammu and Kashmir Government withdrew support to the coalition government over the allotment of land to Amarnath Shrine Board issue. Disclosing this, the party President, Mehbooba Mufti told media persons in Srinagar that all Ministers of the party have submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Life remained paralysed in the Kashmir valley, as shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed and public transport was off the road in all the districts. Attendance in government and other offices was minimal owing to lack of transport facilities.

Twenty-seven people including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik and three security personnel were injured in clashes between the demonstrators and police as the protests over the allotment of land to holy Amarnath issue entered the sixth day.The protesters were demanding the revocation of transfer of land to the Amarnath Board. In the early 1990s, tens of thousands took to streets across the region demanding Kashmir's cessation from India.

"The present situation reminds me of 1990, it is all disturbing," said Omar Abdullah, chief of Kashmir's main opposition National Conference party.

The week-long protests started when authorities transferred nearly 100 acres of forest land in Kashmir to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), a Hindu trust, to erect temporary shelters for thousands of Hindu pilgrims who annually trek to a cave shrine in the Kashmir mountain.

OneIndia News