Restoration of land is the ''core'' issue: Sangharsh Samiti

Jammu, Aug 6 (UNI) Denying there being any invitation from the Centre to participate in the All-Party meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the situation in Jammu, Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS), a conglomerate of 30 parties spearheading the agitation, today said restoration of land is the ''core'' issue and it would remain firm on its demand.

''Re-constitution of the Shrine Board is the secondary issue but Samiti wants immediate restoration of the land to the Board, which is the only way out to normalise the situation in Jammu,'' Leela Karan Sharma, convenor, SAYSS said at a press conference here.

''Many political leaders were invited by the Prime Minister for the All-Party meet at New Delhi to be held today but there was no official invitation to the Samiti and without the participation of Samiti members, the meet is worthless,'' Mr Sharma said asserting, ''the all-party meet decision will be welcomed if it favours Jammu.'' However, the SAYSS convenor added that the Centre government is worried only about Kashmir but it has to give a thought to the people of Jammu.

''We were invited by Governor N N Vohra also to visit Baltal but the Samiti members unanimously declined the invitation as there is no purpose of visiting there unless land is restored to the Shrine Board,'' Mr Sharma added.

Meanwhile, reacting to the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's statement that ''don't lose Kashmir over 800 kanals of land,'' the Samiti convenor asserted, ''we would prefer to lose Mehbooba Mufti for land.'' Meanwhile, Mr Sharma said Samiti has a soft spot for the common masses of the Valley, who are suffering at the hands of separatist forces and added, ''Shrine Board is the only Legislative authority to take care of Amarnath land.'' UNI VBH RL HS1602