Karan Singh suggests 5-point formula to diffuse Amarnath land cris

New Delhi, Aug 5 (UNI) Expressing serious concern over the deteriorating condition in Jammu and Kashmir over the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board land transfer issue, erstwhile Maharaja of Kashmir Karan Singh today suggested a 5-point programme, including leasing of land to the SASB for two months annually, to diffuse the present crisis.

The immediate imperative is to bring the law and order situation back to normal, said the former Union minister while stressing that ''this fundamental problem needs to be looked into carefully and a national consensus arrived at''.

Calling for immediate 'transfer' of Governor N N Vohra, as his arrival marked the ''beginning of the second phase of serious unrest'', Dr Singh advised that Gen J J Singh be appointed instead as he hails from the state.

While the SASB can be reconstituted under Gen Singh under a new chairman, which could be former Chief Justice A S Anand (also from J&K), the Congress leader said the yatra be extended upto two months in view of the crowd and government initiate steps to construct adequate facilities for pilgrims and the ''land itself could be leased on a temporary basis to the Board for these two months''.

Stressing that he was making these proposals not as any party member or in a partisan way but because he had been associated with the 'yatra' for the last six decades as chairman-trustee of Mahadev Gir Dashnami Akhara Trust where the 'sacred mace' (chari mubarak) of Lord Shiva resides under the care of the 'mahant', Dr Singh said ''suitable compensation'' to families of victims killed in police firing should also be given.

Appealing to all concerned in J &K to ''now defuse the situation'', Dr Singh said ''enough is enough, and we must now return to the path of peace, harmony and cooperation.'' UNI AN PK RK2018