Wednesday, June 18, 2008

more bigotry by kashmir's mufti family

jun 17th, 2008

and let us remember that the first act of capitulation to terrorists was the release of several of them in exchange for another of mufti's daughters.

what the muftis are saying is that hindus have no rights. well, in return india should say that kashmiris have no rights in india, and deport every last one of them back to kashmir or pakistan. all "kashmiri emporia" are sleeper cells to support mohammedan terrorism.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shah

http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=135906

 

Mufti duo's 'yatra' criticism under fire
 
Autar Krishan Lidhoo
 
17 June 2008, Tuesday
 

EVERY YEAR, this season, Shri Amarnath Yatra becomes a hot issue within administrative, civil, political and so-called environmentalist circles in Kashmir valley.

 

Leading from the front has always been father-daughter duo, former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed and the present Member of Parliament Mehbooba Mufti. Both are on the record having spoken openly against `prolonging Amarnath Yatra and restricting it only for few days. Their demand goes back to 2003.

 

This year also, the controversy has been raked up and the issue is high on the agenda of People's Democratic Party (PDP) to which Muftis belong. Some separatist organisations too have joined the chorus to voice their ``concern over holding of Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir valley for two months. The parties, both political and separatists, and even some communal forces, want ``restricting" and ``curbing the yatra for the reasons best known to them. They, however, claim that pilgrimage to the cave shrine creates environmental degradation in high reaches of south Kashmir.

 

Why is it so that the civil society in Kashmir is only opposed to Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir? Why is it that in other similar yatras and pilgrimages, they don't find any such environmental degradation.

 

But the same so-called civil society of Kashmir remains tight lipped over major issues but cries hoarse when it comes to the question of speaking against Amarnath Yatra. Don't brand me a communal if I speak in defence of Swami Amarnath Yatra.

 

The environmental concern put forward to curtail Amarnath Yatra seems to be just an excuse and selectively targeting this pilgrimage associated with Hindus. Lakhs of devotees assemble at the revered Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake, not once, but many times during the year. The so-called civil society in Kashmir has never posed the type of questions it has raised many times about Amarnath Yatra about the environmental impact of such large public assemblies. Same is true of many Muslim shrines in the Valley like Chrar-e-Sharief and Baba Rishi in forest area of Tangmarg where devotees assemble in lakhs again. A devotee is a devotee be it a Hindu or a Muslim. Then why such an excuse for environmental degradation vis-vis Amarnath Yatra?

 

The cement factory at Khrew near Srinagar is an environmental disaster in the entire area. No questions are being raised for obvious reasons linked with the trade. The Pampore belt of south Kashmir, known for saffron, has over these years turned into a concrete township. Nobody cares or speaks against settlements in this area. The construction work on Mughal road has destroyed forests from Budhal to Shopian. But since the road fulfils the political agenda, no one speaks against its construction. Dal Lake and Wullar Lake have shrunk because of encroachment and pollution. The civil society that gets united on Amarnath Yatra remains a mute spectator on issues of encroachment linked with other Valley lakes.

 

The terrorists created havoc with Valley forests, all these years. But no environmentalist for that matter dares to raise his voice. But every one gangs up, including politicians, in case of Amarnath Yatra that begins on June 17 and concludes on Raksha Bandhan. Why is it so?



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