Since Governor’s rule was announced for the state of J&K a few days before the annual Amarnath Yatra takes place, over two lakh devotees have registered for the pilgrimage, the defence is on high alert and a Hizbul terrorist has sent a message
Jammu and Kashmir: Three-tiered security escorted the first batch of pilgrims from the base camp on Wednesday as the two-month-long Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday.
Over two lakh devotees have registered to take part in the pilgrimage. The first batch of pilgrims, headed for the cave shrine of Lord Shiva, was escorted in a convoy from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday. They will start their journey to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine by foot on Thursday. The Yatra concludes on August 26, which coincides with the Shravan Purnima festival.
The pilgrimage is being conducted under unprecedented security as it comes days after governor’s rule was imposed in the state following the collapse of the PDP-BJP government in the Valley and the volatile situation in south Kashmir through which the pilgrimage passes. Amid ceasefire violations and the CM resigning, special security measures are being undertaken.
“The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), headed by governor NN Vohra, which manages the affairs of the yatra, has this year decided to restrict at 7,500, from each route, the daily number of pilgrims to be allowed to proceed towards the shrine each day. This does not include pilgrims who use the helicopter services from the two base camps to the shrine,” reported the Hindustan Times.
A video seemingly went viral on Wednesday which had a supposed Pakistan sponsored Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist claiming that they were not targeting any pilgrims or the Yatra. He said that the travellers are guests and not targets.
“In a video clip circulated in social media, operational commander of terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen Riyaz Naikoo said, “Amarnath Yatra is not our target. They (pilgrims) come here to perform their religious rituals. They are our guests.” Terming the claims of the state police chief SP Vaid that the militants are planning a strike on Amarnath pilgrims as baseless, Naikoo said, “We have never attacked Amarnath pilgrims. We are not at war with the Yatris, we at war with those who forced us to pick up the gun. We are fighting for our rights and our freedom. Our war is against the Indian state and not against the people of India,” The Economic Times reported.
The Indian Express reported that around 40,000 security personnel from the police, paramilitary forces, National Disaster Response Force and the Army have been being deployed this year. Security forces have also turned to technology including radio frequency ID (RFID) tags to track convoys, drones and CCTV cameras along the yatra route, specially designed motorcycles and ambulances during the 60-day Yatra to the South Kashmir Himalayas.
Many of the devotees that have undertaken the pilgrimage this year had to convince themselves and their families and friends to go for the Amarnath Yatra without fear. It was suspicious to see a message discouraging travellers being circulated widely on Facebook.
Read also- https://cjp.org.in/hate-watch-spewing-venom-over-the-amarnath-yatra/