No bowing down for Separatists in Amarnath issue: PM

Raipur, Aug 27: Senior BJP leader LK Advani has said that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has assured him that his government would not bow down to separatist forces in solving the controversial Amarnath Shrine Board issue. He said that the dispute over the Amarnath had turned out to be a standoff between separatists and nationalists.

"I had written to the Prime Minister that I believe that the dispute in Jammu and Kashmir is between the separatists and nationalists. Not commenting on this, only this he has written to me that I would like to assure you that the government will not bow down to separatist forces in taking decision," said Advani while speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Aug 26 evening.

Earlier, his party president Rajnath Singh demanded restoration of land to Amarnath Shrine Board.

"The State and the Central Governments have acted in a partisan manner on Amarnath issue. BJP demands that the land must be restored to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The separatists should be hauled before law for challenging the sovereignty of the Indian republic," Singh said.

The BJP also condemned Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari for stating that the Hurriyat Conference and Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti were like two sides of the same coin.

The region has been rocked by violent protests and demonstrations for over a month over the issue of transfer of a forestland to the trust that runs Amarnath.

ANI