August 2008 Edition
Jehangir Rashid
Srinagar
THE Amarnath Yatra has always epitomised love, peace and brotherhood among Hindu pilgrims and Kashmiris who make arrangements for them. This year too Kashmiris extended their support to the smooth functioning of the yatra. Despite stray reports of stone-pelting on vehicles carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave has taken place with Kashmiris offering their cooperation.
Speaking to Civil Society, yatris expressed concern over the lack of facilities. They said the state government is not serious about providing facilities and is, in fact, causing them great inconvenience through the Army. “We are intensely frisked by the troops. It almost seems that we are not taking part in a religious pilgrimage. Going by the degree of such measures put in place, we get the feeling that we are visiting a war ravaged area and not one of religious importance,” said Vinod Kumar, a resident of Gujarat. There were many others who held the same view. Some of the yatris said that the government is just making a show of concern over their safety and security.
“The officials here give the impression that they want to ensure our security, but I don’t trust them. The security forces cannot provide us security all along the route to the holy cave. The government should make other arrangements, but unfortunately they have not done it so far,” said Abhishek, a yatri from Maharashtra. The yatris said that they have to pay a hefty sum to the government for a gas cylinder. They said the government is doing little to solve their problems. “We are asked to pay Rs 1,260 for one gas cylinder. This is four times its actual price. There are no proper facilities in the langar (community kitchen), resulting in hardship for the yatris. We are welcomed by ordinary Kashmiris. But the authorities do not have any concern for us,” said Pramod Dutta, a yatri.
Even this year when there was a controversy over the transfer of 40 hectares to the Amarnath Shrine Board (ASB) Kashmiris did not lose sight of their role. They organised langars at various places in Srinagar for the people who were on their way to the Amarnath cave. Although the land transfer order was subsequently revoked by the then state government of Ghulam Nabi Azad, the situation had turned volatile with five casualties and injuries to hundreds of people. It goes to the credit of Kashmiris that they were not swayed by emotions and provided facilities to yatris wherever they could. Langars were organised at Nowpora, Boulevard Road and the Tourist Reception Centre where food was provided to the yatris. While some of the yatris had performed darshan there were others who had yet to do so.
An impression is being created by vested elements that the situation is very tense in Kashmir and it is not wise to go on a yatra. But when yatris come to Kashmir they get to know about the hospitality of Kashmiris. “The people here provided us food and blankets,”said an appreciative Ajay Raj, resident of Chandigarh. The separatist leaders too played their part by trying to ensure that no arm was done to the yatris. They asked the people, especially the youth, to desist from taking steps which would harm the pilgrims. Leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Sajad Gani Lone, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and others asked people to control their emotions while resisting the land transfer order. They said that Kashmiris are fighting against the State and have no differences with people coming from different parts of India.
Malik, who is the chairman of JKLF, personally visited the yatri base camp at Baltal-Sonamarg and enquired about the facilities being provided to yatris. He was given a warm welcome by the yatris who raised slogans in favour of Hindu-Muslim unity. Malik went from langar to langar and told the yatris that Kashmiris would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that all facilities are put in place. Volunteers from the JKLF distributed rice, pulses, flour and blankets among the yatris on this occasion. Mufti Bashir-u-din, the grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir also paid a visit to the yatri base camp at Baltal. He talked to the yatris and told them they should go ahead with their religious duty without any fear. More than four lakh pilgrims have already performed darshan during the yatra which started on June 18.
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