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| Jazia on Amarnath pilgrims:Is J&K a secular polity? | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 31: Not just this, most of the respondents, including those who will leave Jammu for Yatra on the first day, accused both the State Raj Bhawan and the State Government of adopting a biased attitude towards the Amarnath Yatra. One of them even went to the extent of saying that "the proponents of Islam have thus imposed religious tax on the Hindu Yatris, whereas they spend millions of rupees on Muslims on things relating to Haj and Urs. On the one hand, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah does away with the tax on houseboat owners and hoteliers in Kashmir with one stroke of pen and, on the other hand, he and the State Raj Bhawan imposed Jazia on Hindus; they will have to pay even for placing their shoes in the racks near the cave and toll on entering the state. These measures reek of an illogical bent towards Islamic Talibanization and immense hatred channeled at slighting the religious sentiments of the Hindus. This appalling love for Islamic terrorists and Jazia for Hindu Yatris raise questions about the efforts of Pakistan, terror organizations and the likes of Omar Abdullah, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and others. The effort to Talibanize Indian Muslim society is getting a fillip by such overt and covert actions."
At least five respondents took to task Governor NN Vohra. They said "As Chairman of the SASB, NN Vohra wanted Muslims as Board members, a move which would have meant direct Muslim interference in a Hindu Shrine, whereas there was no move on the part of the concerned authorities to include Hindus in Wakf Boards." They said the "Raj Bhawan and the State Government are working in tandem in order to vitiate the Amarnath Yatra."
The upshot of the arguments advanced by the most of the respondents was that both the State Government and the State Raj Bhawan have "imposed heavy taxes on the Yatris and buses, trucks and light vehicles carrying Yatris and food material in order to discourage the Amarnath Yatris." Yet another argument of theirs' was that "in their appeasement policy, the Omar Abdullah Government and Governor NN Vohra-controlled SASB have taken recourse to the repressive Mughal policy of imposing Jazia on Hindus in their own country." However, each one of them asserted that the " pilgrimage to the Holy Shri Amarnath Shrine is precious to them" and, hence, they would visit the Shrine come what may as they find peace and solace in the darshan of the Holy Lingam."
It is very important to note that a number of Jammu-based Muslims whom this correspondent interviewed to ascertain their views on this ongoing controversy opposed both the State Government and the State Raj Bhawan. They were of the opinion that the "decision of the authorities to impose additional taxes and levies on the Amarnath Yatris and charge substantial amount from those who want to set up Langars en-route the Amarnath Shrine is a bad decision and that this could create a serious law and order problem in Jammu." They emphasized the need for reversing the decision asserting that such a gesture on the part of the authorities would go a long way in harmonizing inter-communal relations and promoting brotherhood."
It is also very significant to note that even during the 2008 June-August agitation in Jammu over the Amarnath land issue the Muslims of this province had made common cause with their Hindu brethren. In fact, they participated in that movement in large numbers in order to express their solidarity with the agitating Hindus. (To be continued)
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