[Onthebarricades] KASHMIR 3 of 3 - Hindu counter-protests
Andy
ldxar1 at tesco.net
Wed Aug 27 09:05:37 PDT 2008
ON THE BARRICADES - Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/
Protesters have mobilised on a massive scale in Kashmir, firstly to protest
a land deal to transfer land to a Hindu shrine, in breach of the
constitution, then later in an ongoing series of protests against Indian
rule. Especially after the reversal of the transfer agreement, Hindus have
staged counter-protests in Jammu, the mainly Hindu part of Kashmir, and
across India. These protests have sometimes turned into pogroms and
communal violence against Muslims. On some occasions, police have shot
Hindu protesters.
* Protester killed during Hindu protests
* 25 wounded as protesters battle police
* Communal tension in Poonch
* Protesters besiege minister at airport
* Protesters damage railway track
* Kashmiri Pandits rally in Delhi
* Cops injured, bus destroyed as Hindus rally in Delhi
* Jammu protesters defy curfew
* Protesters damage fence at minister's residence
* Protesters damage official vehicle, electricity meters in Jammu
* Protester suicide sparks protests, curfew
* Tamil Nadu protesters block roads
* Thousands arrested in Jammu protests
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/06/asia/AS-Kashmir-Shrine-Protests.php
1 dead as protests continue in Indian Kashmir
The Associated Press
Published: August 6, 2008
SRINAGAR, India: The army in Indian Kashmir opened fire Wednesday at
hundreds of stone-throwing Hindu protesters angry over a government decision
to not transfer land to a Hindu shrine, killing one person, an official
said.
Two other protesters were injured in the clash at Pullimore, a village on
the outskirts of Jammu city, Ramesh Kumar, a police officer said.
Kumar said that the army, deployed along the highway that connects Jammu
with the rest of India, the only Hindu-majority region in India's mostly
Muslim Jammu-Kashmir state, was forced to fire at the protesters after they
defied a curfew and pelted stones at vehicles on the road and tried to block
off the highway, Kumar said.
Anger between Hindus and Muslims in the Himalayan region has flared since
June when the government in Jammu-Kashmir decided to award 99 acres (40
hectares) of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, a trust that maintains
the Amarnath shrine, a revered Hindu site.
The shrine contains a large icicle revered by Hindus as an incarnation of
Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. Hundreds of
thousands of Hindus are currently visiting the shrine on an annual
pilgrimage.
The state government was forced to revoke the land transfer last month after
a week of often violent protests by Muslims who called the move an attempt
to build Hindu settlements in the area and alter the demographics in the
state. Six people were killed and hundreds wounded in those protests.
But the cancellation angered Hindus and set off demonstrations by them.
Jammu, the only Hindu-majority city in the state, and Samba, a town on its
outskirts, have witnessed massive protests ever since.
The violence has escalated sharply over the last two weeks and so far six
people have been killed in the new clashes.
The casualties include a Muslim man who was protesting alleged attacks on
Muslims in the Jammu area.
On Wednesday thousands of other Hindu protesters also clashed with police in
other parts of Jammu, Kumar said.
Shops, businesses and schools remained closed in Srinagar, a Muslim-majority
area and the biggest city in the state, to protest the alleged attacks on
Muslims.
To control the spiraling violence, the state government last week asked cell
phone service providers in the state to block text messaging to stop rumors
from adding to the anger.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of India's
political parties on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
About a dozen rebel groups in the state have been fighting Indian government
forces to carve out a separate homeland or to merge Jammu-Kashmir with
Pakistan.
More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the start
of the rebellion in 1989.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-kashmir-shrine-protest,0,7363623.story
Medics say 25 wounded as Hindu protesters clash with police in Indian
Kashmir
By Associated Press
6:56 AM EDT, August 20, 2008
JAMMU, India (AP) _ Police using tear gas and batons clashed with Hindu
protesters defying a fresh curfew in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday, injuring
at least 25 people, medics and witnesses said.
Authorities reimposed a curfew in Jammu, the region's only predominantly
Hindu city, and several nearby towns after several incidents of violence
were reported overnight.
The clashes, which come after several days of relative calm, were small
compared to the massive protests that have rocked the state over the last
two months. At least 34 people have been killed in the violence.
The crisis began in June with a dispute over land near a Hindu shrine.
Muslims held protests complaining that a state government plan to transfer
99 acres (40 hectares) to a Hindu trust to build facilities for pilgrims
near the shrine was actually a settlement plan meant to alter the religious
balance in the region.
A subsequent decision by the state government to scrap the plan angered the
region's Hindus, sparking tit-for-tat demonstrations.
On Wednesday, several hundred Hindu protesters took to the streets in
Akhnoor, some 18 miles (30 kilometers) west of Jammu, demanding that the
land transfer go ahead.
The protesters set a police vehicle on fire and police used tear gas and
batons to disperse them.
"The baton charges and firing smoke shells won't stop us getting back the
land," said Kishore Kumar, one of the protesters.
Hospital officials said at least 25 people, including some police officers,
were being treated after the clashes.
Two people were in serious condition, said Romesh Kumar Gupta, the head of
the local hospital.
Police officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
The streets were calm Wednesday in Srinagar, a predominantly Muslim city in
the region that has seen some of the largest protests in recent weeks.
Separatist leaders have called for a break in the protests until Friday.
The recent unrest has reinvigorated the region's decades-long separatist
struggle. The protests represent the biggest challenge to Indian rule over
its only Muslim-majority state since the start of a violent insurgency in
1989 that has killed an estimated 68,000 people.
Also in Jammu on Wednesday, several thousand people, including many
children, defied a ban on public gatherings and assembled in large groups.
Many marched to police stations, but police took no action.
Wednesday was the third day of a planned three-day Hindu campaign to demand
the land be transferred the shrine.
Organizers had said they wanted 100,000 people to take part and try to court
arrest - a tactic pioneered by Indian independence leader and pacifist
Mohandas K. Gandhi.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/346574.html
Curfew imposed in Poonch, protestors clash with police
NEERAJ SANTOSHI
Posted online: Saturday, August 09, 2008 at 0105 hrs Print Email
Jammu, August 8: Even as the Army attempted to enforce a strict curfew in
many parts of Jammu on the eve of the visit of the all-party delegation led
by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, protestors continued to throng the
streets, with several tense encounters reported between the agitators and
law enforcement personnel.
Following the Thursday's communal tension in Poonch after stones pelted by
pro-Amarnath protestors landed on Muslim properties, curfew was clamped on
Friday as a precautionary measure, but rumours of major clashes spread to
Mandi and Surankote, where people started enforcing a bandh. Throughout the
day, pitched battles took place between protestors and cops, but no major
casualties were reported.
Early on Friday, protestors assembled and moved towards the bus stand where
they smashed windowpanes of buses and pelted cops with stones, after which
the administration handed the area to Army which staged flag marches there.
Relaxation was given for Friday prayers between 1 to 3 pm, which passed
peacefully, but around 6 pm, protestors defying curfew came out and started
a procession from Geeta Bhawan to City Chowk. They threw stones at the cops,
which forced the troops to resort to firing of teargas shells and
lathicharge. There was also fear of a communal flare-up in Mandi, when a
Muslim chemist was injured by agitators trying to shut down his shop.
With people taking out processions and engaging in various acts of
aggression, curfew continued to remain in force - although it was relaxed
for brief spells - in Jammu, Samba, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua as well.
Protests were also reported from Jammu old city, Talab Tillo, Anand Nagar,
Janipur, Satwari, Jajjhar Kotli, Nowshera, Baribrahmina, Purkhoo,
Mishriwala, Chinore, Bhour Camp, Gajansoo, Bantalab and Ghagwal, but the
highlight of the day was a joint protest by Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus in the
Parade area, demanding restoration of the land to the Amarnath Shrine Board
and peace in the region.
Now, even as markets and streets remain deserted except for sporadic
protests and a heavy Army presence, Jammu residents are hoping that the
all-party delegation reaching here on Saturday will help put an end to the
impasse here, especially after no concrete result came of the much-hyped
all-party meet chaired by the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti has extended the Jammu bandh till August 14.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/08/04/6348806-ap.html
Police kill 2 Hindu protesters, 16 others wounded
By Aijaz Hussain, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hindu protesters shout slogans against Jammu and Kashmir state governor N.
N. Vohra as one waves an Indian flag during a curfew in Jammu, India,
Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Channi Anand
SRINAGAR, India - Police in Indian Kashmir opened fire Monday at hundreds of
stone-throwing Hindu protesters angry over a government decision to not
transfer land to a Hindu shrine, killing two people, an official said.
Both protesters were shot to death in the clash in Jammu city, said Ramesh
Kumar, a police officer. Sixteen others were wounded, he said.
In June, the government in Jammu-Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority
state, decided to award 40 hectares of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine
Board, a trust that maintains the Amarnath shrine, a revered Hindu site.
The shrine contains a large icicle revered by Hindus as an incarnation of
Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and regeneration. Hundreds of
thousands of Hindus are currently visiting the shrine on an annual
pilgrimage.
The state government was forced to revoke the land transfer last month after
a week of often-violent protests by Muslims who called the move an attempt
to build Hindu settlements in the area and alter the demographics in the
state. Six people were killed and hundreds wounded in the protests.
But the cancellation set off protests by Hindus. On Monday, protesters
defied a curfew order and poured into the streets of Jammu, the only
Hindu-majority city in the state, and Samba, a town on its outskirts.
"The mob turned very violent and started pelting police with stones," Kumar
said.
"Protesters outnumbered the police and tried to encircle them, forcing them
to open fire," he added.
Two people were killed in a similar incident Friday.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Muslim protesters clashed with police and
paramilitary troops in several cities in Indian Kashmir to protest alleged
assaults by Hindus on Muslims in Jammu.
In Srinagar, the biggest city in Indian Kashmir, one protester was killed
when a tear gas shell fired by police hit his chest, said S.M. Sahai, a
senior police officer.
It was not immediately clear if any police were injured in the clashes.
About a dozen rebel groups in the state have been fighting Indian government
forces to carve out a separate homeland or to merge Jammu-Kashmir with
Pakistan.
More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the start
of the rebellion in 1989.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7542280.stm
Protester dies in Kashmir clash
Protests in Jammu have gone on for nearly a fortnight
A protester has been shot dead by police in the Jammu region of
Indian-administered Kashmir, officials say.
The death follows three fatalities on Monday, two of them in the Jammu area.
The Jammu protesters are angry at a state government decision to revoke a
move to allot land for a Hindu shrine in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
Meanwhile, police in the valley fired tear gas to disperse Muslims.
Worsening relations between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir are worrying the
government.
The BBC's Binoo Joshi in Jammu says that much of the area continues to be
under curfew with troops patrolling the streets.
In the latest clashes, officials say that hundreds of protesters tried to
set a government office on fire.
"The police tried various ways to disperse them but had to resort to firing
later in which 10 protesters were injured, one of them critically," an
official told the BBC.
Tuesday's death means that eight people have been killed and many more
injured in Jammu in protests over the last fortnight.
Our correspondent says that tensions have been exacerbated over the decision
not to include the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS) - one of the main
groups spearheading the protest campaign - in a group of concerned parties
that will discuss the controversy over the shrine with the Indian prime
minister in Delhi on Wednesday.
Local Muslim leaders in Jammu have blamed "mischievous elements" for
spreading what they say are rumours of communal unrest.
Stone-pelting
On Tuesday, Muslim protesters marched through the Maisuma area of the summer
capital, Srinagar, in protest at what they say is communal tension being
stirred up in Jammu.
Chanting slogans, they pelted stones at the security forces who responded by
firing tear gas shells to break up the demonstration.
Protest rallies have also been seen in the city's Nowhatta and Gojwara
areas.
Shops and offices in Srinagar remain shut. One person was killed during
Monday's demonstrations, as well as the two in Jammu.
Srinagar has seen violent protests over the land row
The Kashmir valley has witnessed violent protests in recent weeks following
the government's decision to grant 40 hectares of forest land to the
Amarnath Shrine Board.
Muslims argued the move was aimed at altering the demographic balance in the
area.
The state government said the Amarnath Shrine Board needed the land to erect
huts and toilets for visiting pilgrims.
But after days of protests by Muslims, in which five people were killed and
hundreds wounded, the government rescinded its decision, leading to unrest
in the state's Hindu-majority region of Jammu.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Delhi says that the latest trouble comes after
years of relative calm.
Our correspondent says Hindus in Jammu and Muslims in Kashmir are more
divided than ever.
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-5039.html
Abdullah, Mufti forced to stay in airport by protestors
Jammu, Aug 1 : Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National
Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and People's Democratic Party leader
Mehbooba Mufti, who had come here to attend an all party meeting, were
forced to stay inside the airport for over three hours by protestors
demanding allocation of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
Curfew was imposed in the city after the incident.
Abdullah and Mufti had flown from Srinagar to Jammu Friday to attend the all
party meeting called by Governor N.N. Vohra
The word leaked out that Abdullah and Mufti would be attending the all party
meeting following which protesters blocked the roads leading to the airport
and they pelted stones.
The state government offered to airlift them in helicopter to the Raj Bhavan
but they declined.
After a while, the protestors `learnt' that either the two leaders were
going to be taken back to Srinagar or being airlifted to Raj Bhavan. So,
they dispersed with some heading for the Raj Bhavan.
In the meantime, the route from airport to the Raj Bhavan, a distance of
about 12 km, was virtually sealed by three battalions of police and
para-military personnel. It was then that the Abdullah and Mufti left the
airport for the Raj Bhavan by road.
Earlier Friday, the leaders of the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS), a
conglomerate of 30 groups spearheading an agitation for allocation of land
to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Friday decided not to have further talks
with Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra. The first round of talks
Thursday had ended in a stalemate.
"It is pointless to talk to the governor again unless he sends us a concrete
proposal on the land issue," Tilak Raj Sharma, spokesperson for AYSS, told
the media.
Sharma had earlier said that they would continue with their agitation until
their goal is achieved and simultaneously hold talks as well. But, the
change of mind came after several hundred protesters gathered around the
houses of Tilak Raj and Sangarsh Samiti convenor Leela Karan asking them to
get the land before talking.
Mediapersons were hurriedly called to be informed that the talks had broken
down. "Talks have failed," said Sharma.
Although the governor has called a meeting of prominent residents of Jammu
and also of the leaders of all parties, the agitation leaders have warned
them against "making any compromise".
Meanwhile, the Jammu shutdown entered the ninth day Friday. Shops,
commercial establishments and educational institutions were closed. The
government May 26 allotted 40 hectares of forest land in north Kashmir to
the SASB for creating "temporary and pre-fabricated" shelters for Hindu
pilgrims on their way to the Amarnath cave temple and back.
But the order was revoked July 1 following violent protests in the
Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley, in which six people were killed. The
protesters alleged that the land would be used to settle outsiders and
change the Muslim-majority character of the valley.
The revocation order silenced the protests in Kashmir but ignited
demonstrations in the Hindu-majority Jammu region, which has been reeling
under curfews, shutdowns and violent protests for the past one month now.
--- IANS
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-7046.html
Land row protests: Railway track damaged in Jammu
Jammu, Aug 5 : Protesters Tuesday uprooted a portion of the rail track to
Jammu as the Amarnath land row agitation, that has had the state on the boil
for more than a month now, gained aggression after the death of two youths
Monday.
An angry mob blocked the Jammu-Pathankote National Highway from Kathua to
Vijaypur - a stretch of nearly 50 km. Some of the protesters, according to
sources, also damaged the Jammu-Pathankote railway track between Ghagwal and
Samba - a stretch of 10 km.
The sources said the police and army troopers present there could only watch
as mute spectators.
People claiming to be eyewitnesses said the furious protesters were shouting
"it is the time for Delhi to listen (to them)".
People in Jaurian, a border town about 45 km north of Jammu, also staged
protest demonstrations.
The fresh spate of violence comes a day after two protesters were allegedly
killed in police firing in Samba town. Their bodies were cremated Tuesday
amid raging anger and anguish over the Amarnath land row.
The Jammu and Kashmir government Tuesday ordered a magisterial probe into
the alleged police firing in Samba on demonstrators blocking traffic on the
Jammu-Pathankote Highway to press for their demand of restoration of 40
hectares of forest land in north Kashmir to the board of a Himalayan cave
shrine in south Kashmir.
The protesters alleged that district police chief Prabhat Singh opened fire
first and other policemen followed.
Official sources said Governor N.N. Vohra, who is performing chief
ministerial functions after the state assembly was dissolved July 9, took
cognizance of the case and ordered that the killings be probed by a
magistrate.
District official Saurav Bhagat told newsmen that a "magisterial probe has
been ordered", and soon the terms of reference would be announced.
But the people were not satisfied and were demanding action against the
accused police officer. Hundreds of them Tuesday laid siege to the highway
demanding that the accused be brought to book.
Police officials said traffic came to a standstill on the highway even as
most parts of the Jammu region continued to be under curfew for the fourth
day Tuesday. Army and police personnel were deployed to guard stranded
trucks.
"There is no fixed formula to deal with such a situation. It has to be
handled with care and this time we don't want any escalation in the
tension," a police officer told IANS on condition of anonymity.
The issue of the land transfer to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and
its subsequent revocation has polarised Muslim and Hindus of the state.
At least 14 people have been killed in both the regions, the Kashmir Valley
and Jammu, of the state since May 26 when the government first ordered
diversion of the land to the SASB.
The order was later revoked July 1 following 10-day long violent protests in
the Muslim-dominated valley in June.
The revocation ignited passion in Hindu-majority Jammu where some groups
under the umbrella organisation of the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS)
have been leading the protests for the restoration of the land to the shrine
board.
The government says the land was meant for erecting "temporary and
pre-fabricated" huts for pilgrims to the temple. But Muslims allege that it
was meant for settling outsiders and changing the demography of the valley.
Every year hundreds and thousands of Hindus visit the shrine at an altitude
of 3,888 metres. They believe their god Shiva narrated the secret of
immortality to his wife Parvati, also a goddess, in the cave.
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=136712
Kashmiri Pandits protest in favour of land transfer
The controversy of land transfer in in Jammu has created quite a stir in the
capital as well. After a spate of protests in Jammu, now it's the Kashmiri
Pandits staying in Delhi and NCRs who are protesting against the issue..
CJ: ROCKEY PANDITA , 30 Jun 2008 Views:412 Comments:0
AFTER PROTESTS from Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu , the Kashmiri Pandits who are
putting up at different places in Delhi and NCR region protested in the
capital on Sunday (29th June) against the controversy of land transfer in
Kashmir.
The Kashmiri Pandits, particularly the youths from the community protested
at Jantar Mantar Connaught Place against the communalisation and
politicisation of the sacred shrine of Hindus - Shri Amarnath. The youths
were protesting under the banner of Roots In Kashmir (RIK) - a frontline
global initiative of the Kashmiri Hindus (Pandits).
In a press release issued to media, Amal, magazine coordinator said that
"While on the one hand they purportedly issue messages and call for return
of the Pandits back to the valley and the other side all of you are seeing
what is happening."
He further added in a release that number of Hindu temples and Shrines has
been encroached and occupied not just by anti social elements but even by
the state government that is supposed to protect this unique heritage of the
state.
Anshika Munshi a female activist while protesting said that "Some of the
political parties even after supporting the transfer backed out for
political interests. "
The RIK said in a release that if the demography of the state has changed it
has been due to the forced exodus of half a million Kashmiri Pandits of the
valley.
It is a shame that the state is acting like a spineless organisation against
the anti national elements who in the garb of the land transfer issue are
trying to disintegrate this nation", said Aditya Raj Kaul, founder-member of
RIK.
"The sacred shrine of Amarnathji has been pushed into a controversy
deliberately and now hurdles are being created at each passing day against
its smooth passage.", said Pooja Shali, a female activist with the group.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Cops-hurt-in-Bajrang-Dal-protest/328754/
Cops hurt in Bajrang Dal protest
Express News Service
Posted online: Sunday , June 29, 2008 at 10:41:26
Updated: Sunday , June 29, 2008 at 10:41:26
New Delhi, June 28 Bajrang Dal activists supporting the transfer of land to
the Amarnath shrine in Kashmir attacked Delhi Police personnel during a
protest on Saturday. The mob, numbering over 400, left three policemen
injured and damaged a bus outside the Jammu and Kashmir House on Prithvi Raj
Road, the police said.
"Bajrang Dal activists held a protest outside J&K House this afternoon and
tried to enter it. They were, however, stopped by the police," a Delhi
Police officer said.
Police sources said the activists retreated before suddenly attacking a
Delhi Police bus, standing across the road. "They broke all the
windowpanes," an officer said.
Armed with swords, the activists pelted J&K House with stones and burned
effigies of leaders of the J&K government. The police had to resort to the
use of water cannon to disperse the mob. Officers said six people were
arrested for rioting.
An eyewitness said: "Suddenly, a mob of over 400 people attacked the bus.
Fortunately no one was inside otherwise a major mishap could have occurred."
A case has also been registered at the Tughlaq Road police station and
further investigations are on.
Meanwhile, Roots in Kashmir, an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits, along with
several other Kashmiri Pandit groups, such as Panun Kashmir, Kashmiri Samiti
Delhi, All India Kashmiri Samaj, Panun Kashmiri Movement and Jammu Kashmir
Vichar Manch, will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday morning
against the attempt to communalise the land transfer issue.
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2008/jun/29/kashmiri_pandits_join_protest_over_amarnath_land_row.html
Kashmiri Pandits join protest over Amarnath land row
Submitted by Kamran on Sun, 06/29/2008 - 15:03.
Indian Muslim
By IANS,
New Delhi : About 500 Kashmiri Hindus, settled in the national capital,
Sunday took to the streets and burnt effigies of a few political leaders
against what they called "communalisation and politicisation of the Hindu
shrine Amarnath".
Youths, who had drawn red lines on their forehead, blocked a road near
Jantar Mantar, close to the city business hub Connaught Place, for over an
hour.
They held placards reading, in red colour, "Kashmiri Pandits still alive...
U dare not do that", "Ethnic cleansing of Hindus... Genocide.. Exodus.. Now
the revocation of land transfer!!!" and "Don't ignore our silence".
They burnt the effigies of former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Baig and
militant-turned-politician Yasin Malik.
A minor clash took place between Kashmiri Pandits and the police when they
set fire to the effigies of Mahbooba Mufti, People's Democratic Party (PDP)
president, and another symbolising the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The protesters accused the political leaders of communalisation and
politicisation of the sacred Amarnath shrine.
"The ongoing crisis in the Valley is a well-crafted exercise by the
separatists and some `anti-national' forces. It comes at a time when the
Amarnath pilgrimage was in progress and the Jammu and Kashmir elections are
round the corner," said Amal Magazine, a coordinator with Roots In Kashmir,
a group that organised the protest.
Ajay Raj Kaul, another activist, termed Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N.
Vohra's decision to ask the state government to retain the land allotted tyo
the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) as "immature".
"The land transfer is justified for the benefit of locals and as well the
pilgrims. Over six hundred Hindu temples and shrines have been desecrated
and destroyed as a part of a systematic plan of cleansing the Valley of any
traces of its glorious Hindu past," said Kaul.
He also criticised the PDP that withdrew from the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led
coalition government Saturday.
"They are at the forefront of this mayhem, fuelling the anti-Hindu campaign
in the Valley," he added.
Kashmiri Pandits warned the government of a possible backlash on Amarnath
shrine issue.
"This should be treated as a warning to the government that there will be a
severe backlash and mayhem of the same magnitude as is being seen on the
streets of Srinagar if the land transfer is reversed," said Pooja Shali, a
female activist.
The Jammu and Kashmir government Sunday said it will retain the forest land
allotted to the SASB.
The move came a day after the PDP left the government in crisis by pulling
out of the Congress-led coalition amid differences over the allotment of the
forest land in north Kashmir's Baltal area.
The Kashmir Valley has witnessed violent protests in the past week, after
the state government March 5 allotted 40 hectares of forest land to the
SASB, which till now managed the annual pilgrimage to the Hindu cave shrine
in south Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet March 5, 2008 allotted the 40 hectares of
forest land in north Kashmir Baltal base camp area of the Amarnath Yatra to
the SASB headed by the state governor for facilities for the pilgrims.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/07/stories/2008070755451200.htm
Protesters defy curfew orders
Luv Puri
Jammu: Protests against the cancellation of land allotment to the Shri
Amarnathji Shrine Board continued on Sunday and 35 people were injured in
clashes with the police and Rapid Action Force personnel.
The Baba Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, a joint front of religious, social
and political organisations, which is leading the agitation, extended the
bandh till July 8.
In the morning, curfew orders were defied at Muthi, Gangiyal and Kathua.
The police and Rapid Action Force personnel resorted to cane charge and
fired tear-gas shells.
Post-afternoon, the situation was peaceful as curfew was relaxed from 6 to 8
p.m. throughout Jammu.
Besides seeking restoration of land to the Amarnath Board, the BJP has
demanded the removal of Governor N.N. Vohra.
Congressmen quit
About 400 Congress workers from various parts of Jammu quit their posts in
protest against the cancellation of land transfer order.
People's Democratic Party activists in Udhampur, Kathua and Akhnoor also
resigned in protest against the party's stand on the issue.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Protesters_go_berserk_at_Soz_residence/rssarticleshow/3204389.cms
Protesters go berserk at Soz residence
7 Jul 2008, 0456 hrs IST,TNN
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NEW DELHI: About 100 protesters from various Kashmiri Pandit groups in the
capital allegedly damaged the fence around Union minister Saifuddin Soz's
residence and broke flower pots after he reportedly refused to hear their
case on the revocation of land allotment to the Amarnath shrine board.
Fifty protesters were held and charged with rioting, criminal tresspass and
damaging public property among other charges.
http://www.indiaenews.com/politics/20080703/129471.htm
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Land row: Protests continue in curfew-bound Jammu
>From correspondents in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, 04:01 PM IST
Angered by the cancellation of the land allotment order to a Hindu shrine
board in Kashmir, some activists of the ruling Congress here Thursday defied
curfew orders and took to the streets protesting against their own
government's decision.
Earlier, curfew was extended to other parts of the tense Jammu region as
angry mobs demanding allotment of the forest land to the Shri Amarnath
Shrine Board (SASB) set ablaze a few abandoned houses in a town, forcing the
authorities to deploy the army at communally-sensitive places.
Thursday was the fourth day of agitations in Hindu-dominated Jammu, where
people continue defying prohibitory orders to take out anti-government
processions.
Jai Singh, a Municipal corporator of the ruling Congress, came out with
scores of his supporters defying the curfew order. He denounced the
government's decision. Congress activists have also at other places joined
the protests, largely sponsored by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Protests in Jammu were triggered after government Tuesday decided to cancel
the land allotment to the SASB, ending a controversy but beginning another
over an issue that has gained a communal edge.
Earlier on May 26, the government had allotted 40 hectares of forest land to
the SASB, which organises the pilgrimage to the high altitude Amarnath cave
shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. The land, according to officials, was meant
to create temporary facilities to the hundreds of thousands of Hindu
pilgrims visiting the shrine every year.
The decision quietened the violent protests in the Muslim-dominated Kashmir
Valley where five people were killed in alleged police firing last week.
But it led to violent demonstrations in Jammu where at least 80 people,
including several police personnel, were injured in unrelenting protests
since Monday against the cancellation. The authorities were forced to clamp
indefinite curfew on Jammu since Tuesday evening.
Rail traffic was halted at Kathua for sometime Thursday morning, while
protesters blocked traffic movement on the national highway near Samba,
Udhampur and Nagrota.
Reports from Vijaypur, a town 30 km south of Jammu, where protesters stopped
trains Wednesday evening, said an agitated mob set ablaze a few 'kullas'
(huts) of Gujjars, who are up in the mountains with their cattle these days.
According to a report from Banihal, a town 180 km north of Jammu on the
Jammu-Srinagar highway, a few Amarnath pilgrims were allegedly pulled out of
their vehicles and beaten by some people, who also misbehaved with women
pilgrims.
The BJP and the VHP have called for a nationwide strike Thursday to protest
the cancellation order.
Authorities here claim they were trying to bring the situation under
control.
'We are trying our best to keep the situation under control,' divisional
commissioner, Jammu, the highest civilian officer of the province, told
media.
'Every one is concerned over the situation. We are determined to protect the
properties and lives of all citizens.'
Even in the few parts of Jammu not under curfew, normal life remained
paralysed with people holding protests and demanding restoration of the land
to the shrine board.
Some of the BJP leaders have either been held or kept under house arrest to
prevent their participation in protests.
BJP's state unit president Ashok Khajuria is under house arrest, while
former president Nirmal Singh, and party spokesperson Romesh Arora were held
while marching with protesters.
Women protesters have come out in large numbers in the border towns of
Samba, Vijaypur, Bishnah and Ranbirsingh Pora raising religious slogans.
Angry protesters have rejected all appeals from the government to calm down.
'This is a government of Islamic fundamentalists, and we are not going to
call off our agitation because (Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi) Azad says so,'
said Ramesh Kumar, a student leader who led protests in Jammu's walled city.
'We will continue with our agitation till the government restores the land
to the shrine board.'
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-3096.html
Protestors damage official vehicle in Jammu
Jammu, Jul 29 ; Agitators protesting against the revocation of the order
transferring land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) today damaged the
official vehicle of a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
''The protestors passed through main bazaars of the city here destroying the
electronic meters outside shops and houses,'' official sources told UNI
asserting, ''The mob ransacked the official vehicle of SDM Samba Namely
Abdul Hafiz, which was parked outside a local hotel at posh residency
road.'' Sources said the mob, on seeing beacon light on official vehicle
turned violent and damaged it.
''Aggressive protestors attempted to torch the vehicle but police resorted
to mild lathicharge and dispersed the mob,'' sources added.
The SDM however, had come to the hotel to attend a private function.
Thousands of protestors took out a massive rally amid slogans against Jammu
and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, PDP and the State police.
Situation in Jammu is tense and turned violent after the death of Kuldeep
Kumar Verma, a protestor of Sangharsh Samiti, who allegedly committed
suicide on July 23 during chain hunger strike, demanding the land back to
the Shrine Board.
--- UNI
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/29/stories/2008072951880700.htm
Fresh violence as protesters defy Jammu curfew
Luv Puri
Jammu: Compared to the last two days, Jammu was peaceful but tense on
Monday. Members of the Sangharsh Samiti defied curfew orders in some places.
The samiti, a conglomeration of 35 political, social and religious outfits,
has been demanding restoration of land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.
At least 20 people, including three policemen, were injured in fresh
violence as protesters defied curfew at a few places even as the city
observed a shutdown.
Protesters threw stones and burnt a police vehicle at Muthi. District
officials said curfew would continue in Jammu city, Muthi, Bantalab,
Mishriwala, Pukhoo and Nagrota. Police resorted to lathi charge and fired
teargas shells to control the mob.
Samiti chairman Leela Karan Sharma said: The agitation will continue till
the land is given to the Shrine Board."
Meanwhile, Jammu Bar Association president B.S. Salathia appealed to the
samiti not to allow the agitation to be hijacked by any particular party. A
group formed on the initiative of peace activist Sushobha Barve urged
Governor N.N. Vohra to invite the samiti members for talks. It also called
for an all-party meeting on the land issue.
http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-2418.html
Protesters damage over 1,000 electronic meters in Jammu
Jammu, Jul 28 : Protesters agitating for restoration of forest land to the
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in South Kashmir today went berserk and
damaged electronic power meters installed at houses and business
establishments in the winter capital.
''Over 1,000 electronic meters have been damaged by the protesting youths
who went door to door in the Old City and nearby areas of winter capital,''
a UNI correspondent reported from the area.
Having covered their faces with handkerchiefs, the agitating youths were
seen moving in the city on two-wheelers, shouting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and
anti-government slogans.
Despite curfew restriction, police forces, including CRPF and RAF, were seen
nowhere in the old city areas, which witnessed violent clashes yesterday.
Police control room sources said the curfew has not been lifted from
''sensitive'' Janipur, Bakshi Nagar, Pacca Danga, Domana, Nowabad, Bus
Stand, Peer Mitha and City Police station areas in Jammu city.
Jammu region is facing acute electricity crisis after a major transformer at
Gladni Grid was damaged in fire early this month.
Entire areas falling under district of Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch are facing
more than 12 hours curtailments daily. People are facing hard times due to
power curtailments in the hot and humid weathers.
Meanwhile, life remained crippled in Jammu on the fifth consecutive day
after the death of a protester Kuldeep Dogra, which rekindled massive
agitation in the winter capital on Amarnath row.
Various political and non-political parties joined under the banner of the
Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS) to carry on with the agitation
against government decision of revoking the order for diversion of forest
land at Baltal (in South Kashmir) to SASB for construction of temporary
structures to facilitate Amarnath yatris.
--- UNI
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1179739
Curfew lifted, protests continue in Jammu
IANS
Friday, July 25, 2008 18:49 IST
JAMMU: Curfew was lifted yet shops and educational institutions remained
closed here Friday following a call for shutdown, sparked by a youth's
suicide over the cancellation of land allotment to the Shri Amarnath Shrine
Board (SASB).
Despite the announcement by officials that curfew has been lifted, shops,
commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed
following the strike call given by the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS)
that was spearheading the agitation to restore land to SASB.
The samiti on Thursday extended its shutdown call till Sunday evening
following clashes between the police and protesters after the cremation of
Kuldip Kumar Dogra, in his 20s, who committed suicide Wednesday urging the
people to intensify the agitation.
The officials after reviewing the situation found that curfew was not
required. "We lifted the curfew as we felt that the situation was not as
tense as it was on Thursday," an official said.
Protesters continued to hold demonstrations against the government and
demanded that the land be restored to SASB.
The AYSS is demanding the allocation of nearly 40 hectares of forest land to
the Amarnath shrine board. The land was first diverted to the shrine board
May 26 for setting up temporary prefabricated structures for pilgrims
travelling to the cave shrine of Hindu god Shiva in south Kashmir.
The issue triggered massive protests in the Kashmir Valley. Protesters in
the Muslim-majority region alleged that the plot would be used to settle
outsiders and change the demographic character of Kashmir.
The government rescinded the order July 1. That silenced the street protests
in the Kashmir Valley but ignited a counter-agitation in Jammu, where people
are still demanding allotment of the plot to the shrine board.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/curfew-in-jammu-after-amarnath-protestors-suicide/69463-3.html?xml
Curfew in Jammu after Amarnath protestor's suicide
CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 11:12, Updated at Thu, Jul 24, 2008 in
Nation section
Tags: Amarnath Shrine Board, Land Transfer , Jammu
ON A PROTEST: Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti has called for a bandh over the
suicide.
Jammu: An indefinite curfew has been imposed in Jammu and adjoining areas
ahead of a bandh call by the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS). The
curfew has been relaxed for an hour between 1800-1900 hrs IST.
The Samiti is protesting the alleged suicide of a man over the Shri Amarnath
Shrine Board (SASB) land row. The bandh has now been extended till Sunday.
The committee is demanding restoration of 40 hectares of forest land to
SASB. Protests began immediately after news of the suicide spread on
Wednesday and an inquiry has already been ordered into the incident.
Kuldip Kumar Dogra, in his late 20s, appeared at Parade Ground in Jammu and
Kashmir's winter capital, where activists of the AYSS were on a hunger
strike.
Dogra made a speech to the gathering saying the revocation of the land
transfer order to the shrine board had driven him desperate. He said that he
was "sacrificing his life for the cause", said eyewitnesses.
Dogra left a suicide note blaming politicians for not doing anything against
the land revocation order.
Meanwhile, police roughed up a few media persons covering the protest on
Wednesday. The police top brass is now promising action against the guilty
policemen.
"It was very unfortunate that the media persons were attacked. We will take
action and an inquiry will be conducted," K Rajendra, IG, Jammu zone, said.
The land was first diverted to SASB on May 26 for setting up temporary
prefabricated structures for pilgrims to Amarnath in Himalayas in south
Kashmir.
But the issue triggered massive protests in Kashmir. Protesters in the
Muslim-majority region charged the plot would be used to settle outsiders
and change the demographic character of Kashmir.
The government rescinded the order July 1. That silenced the street protests
in the Kashmir valley but ignited a counter agitation in Jammu, where
protesters are still demanding allotment of the plot to the shrine board.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/14/stories/2008081451610300.htm
Tamil Nadu - Salem
Members stage protest against withdrawal of land
Special Correspondent
- Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan
Voice of dissent: Members of various Hindu fronts staging a road blockade in
Salem on Wednesday in connection with Amarnath temple issue.
SALEM: Members of various Hindu fronts including Bharathiya Janatha Party,
Hindu Munnani and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a road blockade near the New
Integrated Bus stand here on Wednesday protesting against the withdrawal of
land allotted to the Amarnath Temple in Jammu and Kashmir for the benefit of
its pilgrims.
The members raised slogans against the Centre saying that the moves had
denied the basic rights for the yatrikas of the Sri Amarnath temple.
They also said that they would not permit the Pak-sponsored terrorism on the
Indian soil.
The government's decision to bow to the separists' plea on the land issue
will affect the secular fabric of the country, they claimed.
State general secretary, BJP, R. Ramesh presided over the agitation.
When the cadres tried to block the traffic in the busy road opposite to the
New Bus stand,
Police asked them to disperse. But when they refused the police arrested 62
including 4 women and moved them all to a Kalyana Mandpam near-by.
Later all of them were released.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7570855.stm
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 16:30 UK
Many Jammu protesters 'arrested'
Protesters in Jammu chanted pro-India slogans
Thousands of Hindu protesters in the Jammu region of Indian-administered
Kashmir have been arrested during street protests, police say.
The demonstrators were angry over the state government's reversal of a
decision to grant a small piece of land to a trust running a Hindu shrine.
The original decision provoked anger in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley
where the land was located.
Life has returned to normal in the valley after earlier violent clashes.
More than 21 people died last week in the Kashmir valley during police
firing on protesters.
Correspondents say that Muslim anger has not been abated despite the
decision to revoke the land order.
Recently protesters in the valley have been demanding either independence
from India or for Kashmir to become part of Pakistan.
However, a call by separatist leaders for three days without demonstrations
allowed shops, businesses and schools in the valley to reopen for the first
time in two weeks.
The row over the land has developed communal overtones
Hundreds of people bought supplies in the summer capital, Srinagar.
"There was little food left in our house, it is good they have called off
protests for sometime," Mohammad Yaqoob told the Reuters news agency near a
grocery shop in Srinagar.
Correspondents say that the protests are expected to resume on Friday.
After years of relative calm, the demonstrations in the valley were the
biggest in a decade, analysts say.
Surrounded
Meanwhile thousands of people were arrested and taken to jail in the
Hindu-majority Jammu region on Tuesday in protest over the government's
decision not to provide land to the trust.
Women waving flags surrounded the police station in Jammu town and nearby
areas.
They chanted pro-India slogans and willingly put themselves forward to be
arrested as a symbol of their protest.
Police looked on as some protesters climbed into police station buildings -
many were detained but were let off later, police said.
In one incident in Jammu town, hundreds of protesters threw stones and
clashed with police who responded with batons and tear gas.
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