By NAK,
Srinagar : All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee, a premier organisation of various Kashmiri Hindu Bodies, has expressed shock and surprise over the orchestrated campaign against Shri Amarnathji yatra, saying that the atmosphere has further been vitiated by some seeking myopic politicians and communal elements.
In a statement, the President of the Committee, Vinod Pandita has appreciated the majority community as a whole for their support to the yatra and lamented those who were polluting the atmosphere by their inflammatory statements aimed at creating wedge between various communities.
Taking a dig at Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of the holy Mace for describing the yatra from Baltal route as unreligious, Pandita wondered over his sense of judgment and said that the ultimate objective of the pilgrim is to reach the holy Bhavan of Lord Shiva, no matter what route they undertake. About the reported statement of the Mahant that the Holy Pilgrimage is being performed during a specified time frame, he reminded the priest that through out the year devotes keep-thronging Holy Mecca which is known as UA.
‘Why should there be controversy over the duration of the yatra, he said, adding that let the Sravana Purnima has the divine significance there is no harm if a devotee pays obeisance at any other day. “How can you keep the doors of the worship placed closed during a specific period’, he asked and said that it is only the weather vagaries that deter pilgrims to undertake the yatra throughout the year.
Pandita also requested the Government and Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board for establishing the base camp at Pahalgam at the traditional site of Sadhu Parao instead of Nunwan. That place should be restored back for the purpose; he said and added that the Committee will soon meet the Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the officials of the Shrine Board for restoring back the Sadhu Parao for yatra purposes.
In an oblique reference to Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s statement about the yatra and transfer of land to the Board, Pandita said that it seems his focus of agenda has now shifted to the yatra like many of his likes in Kashmir. Pandita welcomed the setting up of a Mega Hajj House in Srinagar and starting international flights direct to Mecca from Srinagar and said similarly every facility should be created for smooth pilgrimage of Amarnath yatra.
He described as unfortunate the observations of some about influx of pilgrims in large numbers to the valley and said that when the same number of people comes as tourists there is no objection to anybody and when the same people come as pilgrim’s lot of hue and cry is being raised.
He elaborated that the grandeur of the yatra has now changed with affluent sections of Hindus thronging to Kashmir for the yatra instead of lower economic classes like Sadhu. “It is for the government to create luxurious facilities for these pilgrims instead of humiliating them by dubbing a threat to pollution, as they have they capacity to pay for best available facilities in Kashmir”, he added.
Urging Kashmiri Muslims to extend their whole hearted support to the yatra as they have done in reopening of temples of Tripur Sundri, Khanbarni Devsar, Shiva temple at Sagam, Kokernag, Shiva Bhagwati at Akingam, Uma Nagri (Brari Angan) South Kashmir, Mata Kolaveghshwari shrine at Kulgam, Ropabawani shrine at Sumbal Sonawari and others.
Pandita said that Kashmiri Pandits are overwhelmed by this sort of support to their minority brethren.