Protests over land transfer row spreads

Chandigarh/Lucknow, August 12 : The protests over the Amarnath shrine land transfer row have spilled over to other parts of the country, after having paralyzed life in Jammu and Kashmir where they originated.

Thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists took to the streets in Lucknow today shouting slogans against the land transfer revocation order.

The situation turned violent as the protesters clashed with the police, which resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob.

The BJP leaders blamed the anti-social elements for violence who they said had mingled with their party activists to create the chaotic situation.

They also alleged that the police had resorted to unprovoked baton charge injuring many people.

The situation was no different in Chandigarh where the shrine land transfer row protesters clashed with the police.

Police had to resort to baton charge and directed water canons at them to bring the situation under control.

Thousands of people in the Jammu region, a Hindu-dominated region inuslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir have been protesting against the state government's revocation of the order transferring about 100 acres (40hectares) of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

The dispute began after the Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the transfer of forestland to the trust that runs Amarnath, a cave shrine visited by pilgrims.

Following controversy provoked by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Separatists the government reversed its decision. This in turn, angered people of the Jammu region.

ANI