Author: King C Bharati
Publication: Haindava Keralam
Date: May 16, 2009
URL: http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=8697&SKIN=B
Geelani's venomous utterances may stir another
communal disturbance in J&K
Two Month long Yatra would disturb ecology
of Kashmir: Geelani
With elections over and government lifting
ban on the movement of separatists the hardliners among the separatist camp
have begun lapping up another issue to keep their pot of hate politics boiling
in Jammu and Kashmir and what can be the best issue other than the Amarnath
Yatra which is round the corner.
Having tasted blood during the last years
Amarnath Yatra agitation the hawk among separatists Sayed Ali Shah Geelani
has fired his first salvo against the Amarnath Yatra saying the two month
long yatra would prove hazardous to the ecology of Kashmir.
Geelani's venomous language against the holy
yatra is likely to stir yet another controversy in the state and may fuel
communal disturbances dividing the two regions once again on communal lines.
While trading community is yet to overcome
the distance created between the two regions by last years agitation Geelani's
comments are likely to provoke Hindus in Jammu and elsewhere who may seem
it as yet another interference in their religious affairs by Kashmiris even
as the inclusion of Muslim members in Advisory Committee of Shrine Board is
yet to die down.
While Hindus say that government has tried
to poke its nose in their religious affairs and dilute their identity by including
Muslim memerbs in Advisory Committee of Amarnath Shrine Board, they question
why no such committee is formed for the Wakf Board or why Hindus are not made
members since the Wakf Board operates throughout the state unlike the Amarnath
Shrine Board.
However Jammuites expect nothing from the
Omar led government knowing that it was Omar Abdullah whose anti-Hindu and
anti-national comments inside the
parliament sparked the whole agitation sending the state into flames.
With Omar and Vohra at the helm and Congress
in support it is anybody's guess what can be expected from this coalition
government now Meanwhile in order to court yet another controversy over the
annual pilgrimage to famous Amarnath Cave Shrine Geelani has said that the
yatra period should be minimized to reduce the harm to local ecology as two
month long yatra attracts large number of pilgrims thus affecting the ecology.
Geelani tried to re-ignite the Amarnath Yatra
controversy while talking to media persons in Srinagar today a day after the
polling ended and the restrictions on his movement were lifted by the government.Geelani
attacked the two month yatra to coincide with the issuing of
two-month long yatra calendar by the Amarnath Shrine Board which begins on
June 7 and would last till August 5.
Trying to balance his communal tone and not
to offend the trading community which suffered huge losses last year, Geelani
said that Kashmiris were not against the Amarnath pilgrimage and tourists
have always been welcomed but his concern was the ecology of Kashmir as if
all other issues of Kashmir have been settled for ever.
Geelani said that the yatra was going on smoothly
for decades without any hindrance but prolonging its duration has cast a shadow
over it since past couple of years.It may be recalled that J&K witnessed
one of the worst communal divide between twin regions of Kashmir and Jammu
when Kashmiris alleged that Shrine Board had a hidden agenda to change the
demography of the Kashmir by erecting temporary shelters at Baltal and settling
outsiders there.
The controversy reached to zenith when the
government remained silent and allowed separatists to have a field day by
leveling frivolous and false allegations of economic blockade etc.
Jammu on the other hand remained resilient
and witnessed historic two month long agitation crippling the economy and
shutting all business with violent street fights between police and Jammuites
for two months.
The agitation was later suspended on the assurances
of the government but the pro Kashmir government ditched Jammuites on all
the promises made to them besides spreading rumours about the leadership of
Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS) to create divide within the Jammuites.
Unfortunately Jammu leadership failed to see
the evil design of the government and succumbed to their propaganda letting
the pro-Kashmir government to take them for yet another ride.
