Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti
Geeta Bhawan, Parade, Jammu.
Dated : 07-08-2008
Press Conference Addressed by
Dr Ramakant Dubey, Member Shree Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti in New Delhi
on 07 August 2008.
Press Release
The all-party meeting, convened by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh on Amarnath land transfer row and protests in Jammu, has decided
to send an all party delegation to Jammu to assess the situation and talk
to Shree Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS). It is welcome. SAYSS believes
that solution to any problem lies in dialogue. But the dialogue has to be
in a proper spirit and atmosphere. Negotiation process cannot be used as a
tool to buy time and suppress the genuine feelings and aspirations of the
people by undemocratic ways. Government must, therefore, ensure that the proposed
all party delegation visits Jammu at an earliest to end the sufferings of
the people who are on streets for a period of more than one month.
Government must also put an immediate end
to disgusting state repression being employed in complete contravention of
the democratic norms. Nationalist People of Jammu are holding non-violent
protests against the illegitimate action by the State government. State Governor
NN Vohra, instead of understanding his own folly has tried his best to first
ignore the sense of hurt and later crush the democratic protest.
Misleading Propaganda
SAYSS condemns in strong words the attempt
by valley politicians and a section of media to malign the protest in Jammu.
The focus is being shifted from the reasons of unrest to non-existant aspect
of economic blockade. It is yet another demonstration of arrogant and self
righteous attitude of Kashmir politicians to maintain their carefully created
secular democratic image. No economic blockade has been forced. People voluntarily
are only boycotting the goods coming from Kashmir as a protest to the politics
of blackmail.
Basis of Jammu Reaction
It is very essential to understand that the
nationalist people of Jammu have risen above every distinction of colour caste
and religion to protest against the hegemony of Kashmir. People all over the
world know that the whole issue began against the provocative statements of
Kashmir politicians including leaders of " mainstream Political Parties"
to describe the transfer of land to Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) as
a ploy to change the demography of Kashmir by Indian state. What can be more
mischievous? The very people who were part of the government also raised environmental
concerns to oppose the decision of a democratically elected government. To
add further to humiliating underming of the Jammu sentiment Omar Abdullah
used the platform of Parliament to propagate absolute lies. It was his statement
that provoked the people to sacrifice their lives.
Respect Peoples Genuine Sentiment
There is an immediate need to understand the
reason for such a massive and unprecedented upsurge in Jammu. How SASB was
constituted and, how it was pursuing the allocation of land for facilities
of pilgrims and how the democratically elected government of Jammu and Kashmir
allocated 100 acres of land after all the necessary clearances from related
departments are already published. The need to is to undo this illegal action
of the government to cancel the this allocation and restore the land to SASB.
Governor has lost the confidence of the people state so he must be called
back without any delay.