New Delhi: The Amarnath land transfer controvesy is not showing any signs of letting up with protests intensifying again in Maisuma on Tuesday. A youth was killed in Maisuma on Monday, which led to the tension. The protestors pelted stones at the large contingent of police which was posted in the area, while the police reacted by lobbing tear gas shells at them.
The Bar Association of Kashmir joined the ongoing protest against Jammu's violence. Police had to resort to tear gas firing as protesters turned violent and burnt tyres on the streets. The demnstrators also burnt several traffic police posts on roads around the city centre.
"We want to appeal to the responsible people of the United Nations that they come here and see how much atrocities we are facing, and what is happening in Jammu. Today India's secular fabric has been exposed," said President Kashmir Bar Association, Nazir Ahmed Ronga.
Police and protesters also clashed in the Kathua area, where the protestors destroy a railway track. The police had to resort to tear-gas shelling in which five people were injured.
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik has begun an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the ongoing agitation in Jammu.
"The fire of communal violence will end up destroying the entire world. I have found a suitable solution to this, a solution of offering myself to the fight against these communal forces," said Malik.
Meanwhile, Curfew was relaxed from 0500 hrs IST to 0800 hrs IST on Tuesday to enable people to stock food items and other supplies. Few shops were open and common people are faced with a lot of problems due to scarcity of essential commodities.
"We have lost crores of rupees. Those who are daily wages workers, they are the most troubled lot, what will they do? This (relaxation of curfew) has not helped people very much. What do you expect them to do? Buy things from the market early in the morning at 5:00 am? They should relax the curfew during day time," said a resident of the area, Dr K K Taneja.
In Udhampur town the curfew was relaxed from 0700 hrs IST to 0900 hrs IST.
No relaxation was given in the curfew in Samba where two persons were killed and several others were injured in fresh violence when police had to open fire on the protestors on Monday.
All trade unions and industrial federations have decided to go on general strike on August 20.
High-Level Meeting in J&K
Alarmed at the deteriorating situation, the federal government has called for an all-party meeting, including the mainstream political parties of
Kashmir, in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss a solution to the Shrine land transfer row.
"An attempt is being made to communalise the Amarnath issue. The police have also dealt very cruely with the situation. At the all-party meeting on Wednesday, we will press for a solution acceptable to all regions," said Left leader A B Bardhan.
Meanwhile,a high-level Central team arrived in Jammu to review the law and order situation in the state. They have directed the state authorities to ensure security to life and property while enforcing law.
The team asked the authorities to maintain communal harmony at all costs and ensure that minorities do not feel insecure, an official statement said on Tuesday.
During a two-hour meeting on Monday, the team - comprising Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and Director General of CRPF V K Joshi - said "no element should be allowed to exploit the situation".
"The situation should be handled in such a way that life and property of the people are fully protected. Communal harmony must be maintained at all costs and it must be ensured that minorities do not feel insecure," a statement by the team read.
The team directed the administration to ensure that supply of essential goods are maintained despite continuous bandhs.
Madhukar Gupta said that all measures had been initiated to ensure uninterrupted movement of trucks carrying essential commodities and general merchandise.
The meeting was attended by state principal secretary of home, director general of police and other senior police officers.
The Issue
Three people were killed in the state on Monday - two in Samba in Jammu division and one in Srinagar when police opened fire on different groups of protesters, the latest in tit-for-tat demonstrations over the cancellation of transfer of land to a Hindu shrine.
Predominantly Hindu populated districts and towns in Jammu region have been protesting over the past three weeks and the Indian army has been sent to the several areas including the Srinagar Pathankot national highway to control the situation.
The controversy over the issue of transfer of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board trust has polarised the state, split between the Muslim-majority region around Kashmir Valley and the Hindu-dominated region around the city of Jammu.
The erstwhile state government had planned to transfer forest land to the Board to build shelters for pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine, to pray by a sacred ice stalagmite.
Faced with huge protests from the Muslim population, the government had rescinded the order, only sparking Hindu demonstrations. At least eight people have been killed in the protests since June.
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