JAMMU: Expressing dismay over the stoppage of Shri Amarnath Yatra and manhandling of Yatris in the Kashmir Valley by some anti social elements, former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla on Friday blamed BJP-PDP Government for its complete failure to provide security cover to Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir valley, resulting into injuries to several pilgrims and damage to vehicles by stone pelters in Valley. He stated this while attending a Bhandara organised by Swami Satyanand Ji Maharaj for Amarnath pilgrims at Railway Station here.
“Government notwithstanding the apprehensions aired by security agencies that terror groups are planning to disturb the Amarnath Yatra to create fear psychosis among devotees, utterly failed to make adequate arrangements to ensure an incident-free Yatra this year”, he said.
Taking strong note of “spurt” in militant attacks on forces on J&K highways, Bhalla demanded heads of various security agencies to ensure fool-proof cover to Shri Amarnath Yatris and “deal sternly” with militants. He also sought details of the ‘security plan’ drawn for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage and urged the security agencies to increase the vigil along both the Yatra routes in Kashmir.
“Government has even failed to ensure security of scores of displaced Kashmiri Pandit (KP) employees, who escaped from the Valley after the recent protests by stone-pelting attackers. They are so scared that they have decided that they won’t return to the valley as they have faced intimidation threats and stone pelting attacks repeatedly”, he said adding that government has failed to provide security to these employees.
The prevailing situation in Valley has put a question mark on the credibility of coalition Government which has proved with its deeds that what it says is probably not what it really means. Bhalla said J&K government made big promises to facilitate pilgrimage but stranded pilgrims better know what government extends at ground level.
He claimed that BJP leaders in Government have not been able to seriously ponder over the issue of Amarnath Yatris well before its start and utterly failed to create conducive conditions for smooth Yatra this year.
Bhalla appealed to Government that simply holding high level meetings and issuing appeals to hooligans to maintain calm in Kashmir is not going to help unless the ground situation is handled taking requisite measures properly.