Amarnath Shrine Board members resign

Jammu / New Delhi, Aug 6 : All eight members of the Amarnath Shrine Board resigned today.

The resignations have been submitted to Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra to enable him to reconstitute the board.

Earlier in the day, the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti (SASS), which is spearheading the agitation in Jammu, refused to soften its stand.

Turning down Governor Vohra's invitation to visit the forest land at Bhatal, the SASS said it will settle for nothing less than revocation of the government's order canceling the transfer of nearly 100 acres of land to the shrine board.

Meanwhile in New Delhi, the UPA has appealed for peace ahead of an all-party meet called by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on the Amarnath land transfer row.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil said there is no issue that cannot be solved through dialogue after a meeting of UPA constituents.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that UPA leaders were briefed about the ongoing situation in Jammu by Patil and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Dr. Singh is expected to brief political leaders about the steps being taken by the Centre to maintain communal harmony across the country, especially in Jammu which has been witnessing violent protests over the past month.

ANI