Examiner News Desk | Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the National Conference (NC) is awaiting permission to hold its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, alleging that attempts were being made to “sabotage” the party’s programme.
The National Conference has announced a sit-in protest on the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session to press the Centre for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. The party has also invited 52 leaders from political and religious organisations across the country to participate in the demonstration.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Abdullah said the party was still awaiting official permission for the protest.
“On the 20th, a programme is to take place, if we get permission for it. We are trying to get the permission,” he said.
Alleging discrimination in the approval process, Abdullah claimed that while another organisation received permission for its programme within 24 hours, the National Conference had been waiting for the past four to five days.
“We have been trying for four-five days. Some people are engaged in sabotaging our programme. They have changed their dates and matched them with our dates,” he said, without naming anyone.
Responding to a question on the suspension of four teachers in Ganderbal over alleged irregularities related to Amarnath Yatra duties, the Chief Minister said the matter falls within the jurisdiction of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board and reiterated that the elected government does not interfere in the management of the annual pilgrimage.
“Our role is to provide support. Every department has responsibilities in facilitating the yatra, and we are committed to fulfilling them,” he said.
Abdullah said the Tourism Department plays a key role in coordinating government support for the pilgrimage, including the release of funds and overall coordination with the Shrine Board.
On religious tourism, the Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir possesses immense potential owing to its diverse religious heritage.
“There is something for every religion. We have shrines, mosques, gurdwaras, temples, churches and stupas,” he said, adding that the ongoing Amarnath Yatra has witnessed a larger turnout than the number of registered pilgrims, posing challenges in adhering to the Supreme Court’s prescribed ceiling on pilgrim numbers.
He also said this year’s Kheer Bhawani Mela recorded a significant increase in participation compared with last year.
“Last year, around 5,000 to 6,000 people attended. This year, around 10,000 stayed overnight, while the daytime footfall exceeded 30,000,” he said, adding that religious tourism continues to grow across both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
Abdullah said the government supports the development and renovation of religious sites wherever proposals are received, including projects to improve access and infrastructure.
On climate change, the Chief Minister described it as a global challenge requiring collective action.
“If it were only a problem of Srinagar or Kashmir, we could solve it. But climate change is a global problem. The countries that industrialised first contributed significantly to environmental degradation, and now the entire world has to deal with its consequences,” he said.
While emphasising that environmental protection is a shared responsibility, Abdullah said no country could address the challenge in isolation and urged people to recognise the reality of global warming.
Recalling changing weather patterns in Kashmir, he said the region’s mountains once remained snow-covered well into summer, while the naturally formed ice Shivling at the Amarnath cave traditionally lasted much longer than it does now.
“If we are able to address climate change, perhaps it will endure for a longer period,” he said.
The Chief Minister also expressed hope that tourist destinations closed following last year’s Pahalgam terror attack would be reopened after the conclusion of this year’s Amarnath Yatra.
He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured him earlier this year that the destinations would be reopened during the summer season.
“I hope that once the Yatra concludes and the security forces deployed for it are redeployed, these tourist destinations will be reopened,” Abdullah said.
