BJP protests SASB land withdrawal

Itanagar, Aug 13 (UNI) The Arunachal Pradesh unit of the BJP has registered its protest against the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government for the withdrawal of 100 acre land allotted to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

The BJP sources said here today that in a memorandum to Arunachal Pradesh Governor General (Retd) J J Singh yesterday, the party alleged that the step was taken at the behest of separatists and for cheap political gains.

The BJP, while condemning the move, said the act was ''intended to incite communal sentiments for the sake of the vote bank, which was against the country's established fundamental concept of being a secular state where all religions are equal.'' ''The withdrawal episode has not only attracted world wide condemnation, but has hurt the sentiments of lakhs of tourists and pilgrims who visit the Amarnath Shrine every year,'' the party said in the memorandum.

While demanding immediate revocation of the withdrawal order, the party advocated that the communalisation of the issue should come to an end for the larger interest of the nation.

Earlier, the party organised a protest march to the Raj Bhaan as part of its nation wide 'Jail Bharo' agitation, the sources added.

Blaming the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for the present situation, the party alleged that the anti-national and separatist forces had taken an upper hand in the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir.

''The political game plan by the Congress and PDP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for sowing the seeds of communalism and hatred cannot be seen only as the problems of that state, but is a matter of concern for the entire nation,'' the party added.

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