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| Jazia on Amarnath pilgrims: Is J&K a secular polity? | | In Focus - I | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 30: "Is Jammu and Kashmir a secular polity?" Unfortunately, the answer is no. This was what a number of people told this correspondent who met them during the past eight days to ascertain their views on the nature of the state polity and on the attitude of the State Government and the State Raj Bhawan towards the Amarnath Yatra, which would commence on July 1. They said that the "Kashmiri leaders, without any exception, do not find themselves comfortable in an environment that is secular and that is all-embracing and accommodating. Actually, the Kashmiri leaders, without any exception, do not feel comfortable in an environment that promotes things Indian in the Valley."
"Do the non-Muslims in the state enjoy religious freedom in the real sense of the term?" Again, unfortunately, the answer is a big NO. A number of persons told this correspondent that the "Kashmiri leaders, without any exception, do not feel comfortable in an environment that allows the people professing other faiths to enjoy full religious freedom, including the right to organize pilgrimages to their holy places in the way they want."
"Do the non-Muslims of the state enjoy those privileges which the followers of the religion to which the Kashmiri leaders belong enjoy as far as their religious activities, including pilgrimage to the holy places, is concerned?" "Or, do the Kashmiri leaders promote pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Shri Amarnath that is located in Kashmir?" Regrettably, the answer again is a big NO. Almost all those whom this correspondent interviewed told that the "Kashmiri leaders, without any exception, feel quite uncomfortable in an environment that entitles the non-Muslims to organize pilgrimages without any difficulty from any quarter. While the government not only gives subsidy to those who wish to perform Haj, but also takes every step to make their journey to Mecca comfortable, it creates obstacles after obstacles when it comes to the Shri Amarnath Yatra."
What about the State Raj Bhawan that controls the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB)? "Does it believe in secularism or does it treat the non-Muslims and Muslims equally as far as their religious freedom is concerned or the pilgrimage-related facilities are concerned?" Again, the answer has to be a big NO. In fact, most of the persons whom this correspondent interviewed opined that the "Kashmiri leaders have now found in the State Raj Bhawan an institution that shares the perceptions of the Kashmiri leadership and acts in a manner that suits them or that comes up to their expectations. Both the State Government and the State Raj Bhawan have, it appears, joined hands in order to outrage the religious sensitivities of the nearly one billion non-Muslims of the country."
In fact, they asked: "How else should one interpret the decision of the Raj Bhawan and the State Government to loot and plunder the Shri Amarnath pilgrims and those anxious to set up langars and stalls en-route the Holy Shrine of Shri Amarnath by imposing what could be termed as religious tax on the Hindus?
What did most of the persons told this correspondent during the interview? They criticized the State Raj Bhawan and the State Government saying "not content with a "levy of Rs 15 from each Amarnath yatri (pilgrim), the authorities have now imposed a tax of Rs 2,800 per day (earlier it was Rs 300) on the buses and trucks and Rs 2300 on light vehicles carrying pilgrims and food items." Not just this, they also told this correspondent that the "State Government imposed these taxes, notwithstanding the fact that it already charges toll tax at Lakhanpur, the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir". Criticizing further the State Government, they told that "both the State Raj Bhawan and the State Government are bent upon radicalizing the state polity by requiring the Langar committees, consisting mainly of religious and social organizations, to deposit a 'non-refundable' amount of Rs 25,000." (To be continued)
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