The decision of the government of Jammu and Kashmir to revoke the allotment of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board for development of facilities to the pilgrims is a complete surrender to the fundamentalist and separatist forces. By revoking the allotment of this land, the Congress party has demonstrated that it is one with the fundamentalists in creating a theocratic environment in the Kashmir valley.
It is for the Shrine Board to develop facilities for the pilgrims and not for the tourism department to use this land for the limited purpose of tourism on a commercial basis.
Today democracy, secularism and civility are under serious threat in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a result of the Congress approach and policies since Independence that the Hindu minority has been thrown out of the valley. Temples have been destroyed and desecrated. Today even the innocuous act of providing land for sheds and toilet facilities for the pilgrims has been withdrawn.
Today the policy of Congress and UPA involves preventing the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, demolition of the Ram Sethu, and preventing the grant of land for facilities for the pilgrims going to the Amarnath cave.
The BJP demands that the land for development of facilities be restored to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The acquiescence and support to these acts by the Congress party and the central government has established that the Congress party rejoices in trampling over the sentiments of the majority of the people in the country.
The BJP called for a nation-wide strike on July 3, 2008 to protest against this monstrous act of revoking the allotted land to the Shrine Board.
Comments