All-party meet assesses situation over Amarnath land row

Srinagar, Aug 10 : An 18-member all-party delegation headed by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil met here today to assess the situation in the wake of the continuing agitation in Jammu over the Amarnath land transfer controversy.

The meeting was attended by Arun Jaitley (BJP), Amar Singh (Samajwadi Party), former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and Saif-ud-din Soz and Mohsina Kidwai (both Congress), besides the local Kashmiri leaders.

The meeting was held a day after Patil had a meeting with the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, who is spearheading the agitation in Jammu.

The Convenor of the Sangharsh Samiti, Leela Karan Sharma said that they have put up their demands for the restoration of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the recall of State Governor NN Vohra.

Earlier, the delegation met the Governor and was also briefed about the situation arising out of Shri Amarnath Land transfer issue.

The all-party delegation also held discussions with leaders of various political parties in Jammu.

The visit is being undertaken after deliberations in the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

ANI