Fury over revocation of Amarnath Shrine Board land allotment continues

Jammu/New Delhi, August 2 : The protests in Jammu and Kashmir continued over the revocation of forestland allotted to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board as New Delhi also witnessed fury over the issue on Saturday.

The struggle waged by Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti to get the land back continued unabated as a large number of protesters took to streets chanting name of Lord Shiva.

The agitated protesters shouted slogans against the State and the Central government and demanded resolution of the matter.

"The government should resolve the problem immediately as the whole Jammu is burning. Today people are dying but the government will also feel the heat of it. We want the land back," said Surender, a protestor.

The Sangharsh Samiti also took to streets in New Delhi.

The protesters had to brave the water cannon shots to give vent to their anger against the Central government, which they alleged is misleading people.

"The government is misleading entire country. The sentiments of the people (Hindus) are constantly being hurt. We will not tolerate this," said Harsh Vardhan, Delhi state chief of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Meanwhile the firebrand Hindu leader Sadhvi Ritambhara, who was denied access to Jammu reacted strongly on the matter and said that measures taken by the government are authoritarian which can worsen the situation.

"We were stopped at the airport (in Jammu and Kashmir) and were compelled to go back. I think it's a breach of our democratic rights. Administration has responsibility to manage traditional affairs in a proper way. Resorting to repressive policies will further escalate already worsening condition," said Ritambhara.

Agitators have been demanding restoration of forestland allotted to the Board by the state government for making makeshift facilities for Amarnath pilgrims.

The ongoing unrest in the state is being supported by about 30 Hindu organisations.

The Jammu and Kashmir government was on July 1st forced to back down on its decision to transfer 100 acres of forestland in Kashmir to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) following widespread protests in the predominantly Muslim Kashmir valley.

ANI