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Protesters shout slogans against Kashmiri leaders during a protest in Jammu. Photo Courtesy: AP
Protesters shout slogans against Kashmiri leaders during a protest in Jammu. Photo Courtesy: AP

Amarnath talks put off again, life remains paralysed

Fri-Aug 29, 2008

Jammu / Press Trust of India

Talks between an official panel and the group spearheading the agitation for transfer of land to Amarnath shrine board was put off for the second consecutive day on Friday even as life remained paralysed in the Jammu region in response to the continuing bandh over the issue.

"The meeting has again been deferred on Friday in view of the illness of Chairman of the Governor's panel and Adviser S S Bloeria," Sri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) spokesperson Narinder Singh said.

He said the government's decision on the postponement of the talks was conveyed to the SAYSS and that no fresh date was fixed for the parleys.

However, sources in the government said that the meeting is expected to be held on Saturday.

Thursday's scheduled round of talks between the panel appointed by the Governor NN Vohra to resolve the issue in the wake of a two-month long agitation by the SAYSS was deferred due to Bloeria's ill health.

Shops and market places were closed and vehicles were off the roads in response to the bandh called by SAYSS which entered the 62nd day on Friday.

Work in educational institutions and banks remained badly hit and attendance in government offices was thin.

Traffic plied on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway where authorities have imposed prohibitory orders and the army has been given the charge of ensuring smooth movement of trucks from Lakhanpur to Jawahar Tunnel.

On the issue of the talks with the official panel, the SAYSS said it has submitted written demands to it and was expecting a "favourable" response.

The group earlier held three rounds of talks with the governor's panel on August 23.

However, the talks remained inconclusive and it was agreed by both sides that they would resume the discussions at a later stage.

A five-point agenda had been set for the talks which included reconstitution of the Amarnath shrine board, clarifying in appropriate details its role and duties.

It also includes assessment of the total requirement of land by the Shrine Board and working out an arrangement for use of 100 acres of land at Baltal-Domail by the SASB during the period of yatra.

Meanwhile, curfew continued in Poonch town for seventh consecutive day today. It had been relaxed for one hour from 10 am on Thursday to enable people to buy essential commodities.

Curfew was clamped in the town on August 23 in the wake of clashes between two communities during which about 40 shops were burnt and 20 others damaged.

Police and para military personnel continued to remain deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident.

In Kishtwar town, night curfew continued as a precautionary measure. It was clamped in the township on August 12 after incidents of communal violence in which two persons were killed and several others injured.
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Comments For This Post

Once a woman lost her husband and went to Police station to register an FIR, Police officer after gathering information asked the woman that when did last she saw her husband, she said that “last evening mi husband went to market to buy ALOOs (potatoes) and since then he has not returned home, Police man replied and said “Bahin JI don’t worry u can cook Gobi (cauliflower)..
Same has been in the case of Jammu amaranth land row, the problem was of very technical nature and required a legal remedy but Government instead tried solving with political means. Even today legal expert should be made available for solutions rather then political parties cooking their on dish.

Fri, 08/29/2008 - 22:09

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