The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday, 2 August, asked Amarnath Yatris and tourists to immediately make necessary arrangements to cut short their stay in the Valley and return as soon as possible in the wake of intelligence inputs of “specific terror threats” to the pilgrimage.
The order came soon after a joint press briefing by the Indian Army and the police amid reports that 280 companies of security forces were in the process of being deployed in the Kashmir Valley.
The directive drew flak from locals and the political spectrum, who questioned the government’s preparedness in handling such a situation.
Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti Slam Centre
Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said he failed to understand why the government had so long been briefing everyone about “how good the situation is”. In a series of tweets, Abdullah questioned the government and its actions, saying that such a situation, where the Amarnath Yatra needed to be cancelled, had never arisen.
He also questioned why Gulmarg was being emptied if there was a threat to the yatra.
Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that she hoped the move isn’t a ploy by the government to dodge the spotlight on the country’s economy which is in “free fall.”
Mufti also appealed to PM Narendra Modi ‘not to tinker with special status of Jammu and Kashmir’, PTI reported.
She also called for mainstream parties to come together to deliberate on the course of action to be taken in view of the “restive situation in Kashmir.”
She also slammed the Centre saying that it was "only concerned about the safety of yatris while Kashmiris had been left to their own devices”.
‘Why Was Parliament Not Taken Into Confidence?’
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday hit out at the government, saying Parliament should have been taken into confidence before sending out such a missive.
In a tweet, the Left leader also alleged that rumours were being allowed to fester in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray said the government’s advisory is “extremely angering,” adding that the government is well equipped to tackle such a situation and “purge out terrorists.”
‘Is Govt Considering Any Such Advisory for Locals Also?’
Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal asked if the administration was going to issue a separate advisory for the locals of Kashmir.
“J&K Govt has asked Tourists and Amarnath Yatris to leave Kashmir immediately in view of a security threat. Is the Government considering any such advisory for locals also?" he asked.
"Should Kashmiris also migrate to other places or is it that our lives do not matter?” Faesal quipped.
‘Creating an Atmosphere of Panic and Apprehension’
Meanwhile, the Congress also urged the government to ensure that the constitutional guarantees given to Jammu and Kashmir are maintained. Their appeal to the government came after a Congress policy planning group on Jammu and Kashmir met under the chairmanship of former prime minister Manmohan Singh.
"There was deep concern expressed at the continuous reports emanating from both the Union Home Ministry and the State Government which were creating an atmosphere of panic and apprehension about the intentions of the government," an official statement said.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said that the reports were creating an atmosphere of panic and apprehension about the intentions of the government. “We urge the government not to take any decision which would precipitate a deep crisis,” Azad said.
Congress’s Saral Patel slammed the Modi government, saying “Premature curtailment of Amarnath Yatra highlights and shows how Modi government’s policies have completely failed J&K.”
‘Pure Security Measure Being Mixed up with Other Issues Leading to Panic'
Requesting political leaders to ask their supporters to maintain calm, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik said on late Friday night that "unnecessary panic" was being created by linking the curtailment of Amarnath Yatra with other issues.
A delegation of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, J&K People’s Movement chief Shah Faesal and People’s Conference leaders Sajjad Lone and Imran Reza Ansari met the Governor late Friday night to “express concerns about the panic situation” in the Valley.
“Governor Malik informed the delegation that there were serious and credible inputs which were available to the security agencies regarding terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatra...It is in this context that the government had issued an advisory asking Yatris and tourists to return as soon as possible.”Raj Bhavan statement
"A pure security measure is being mixed up with issues with which it has no connection. That is the cause of the panic," the Governor reportedly said and requested the leaders to ask their supporters "not to mix up matters, to maintain calm and not believe exaggerated rumours being circulated all around".
Yatra Will Continue as per Schedule: J&K BJP Chief
Meanwhile, after the advisory was issued, J&K BJP President Ravinder Rana said that the Amarnath Yatra would continue till 15 August as per schedule.
“Amarnath Yatra will continue till 15 August as per schedule. Strong security measures have already been taken and there is no atmosphere of fear. All yatris can visit the holy shrine but advisory issued by the home department should be followed,” Rana said, according to ANI.
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