The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Sunday took control of the Amarnath Yatra arrangements, including the 800 kanals of forest land transferred to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) recently.
The decision was taken after Governor N N Vohra wrote to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that the SASB did not need the land and that the arrangements for the pilgrims must be made by the State Government. The move is seen as an attempt to defuse the crises in Kashmir.
The issuance of land transfer order by the state Cabinet recently led to massive protest demonstrations and shut down in the Valley for the last seven days. The PDP also pulled out from the Congress led coalition Government and withdrew its support on Saturday in support of its demand for the revocation of the land transfer order.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nazi Azad’s Government has been reduced to minority.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Azad claimed that his Government would complete the full term as he has got the required number of MLAs. He also ruled out imposition of Governor’s rule in the state.
The Chief Minister said he would write to the Governor to convene a special session of the Assembly to prove his majority on the floor of the house. Giving details the CM said, “On June 27, the Governor had written a letter to me asking whether the State Government was ready to take over the yatra arrangements including providing facilities and security to the pilgrims. I assured him that the State Government will do that as it was doing before 2000.
Subsequently the Governor on Sunday asked the State Government to take over the yatra arrangements.”
Azad clarified that the SASB had not been dissolved and that it would conduct the prayer related arrangements only. Asked whether the Cabinet related order regarding the transfer of land would be revoked, the CM said the issue would be discussed in the Cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah, president of the main opposition National Conference (NC) ruled out his party’s support to Azad’s minority Government.
Speaking to media persons, he said: “We are in the opposition and will continue our r ole.” He, however, hailed the Governor’s decision and asked the Government to revoke the land transfer order.
