Lashing at the Jammu and Kashmir government for curtailing the Amarnath yatra period by 15 days, VHP on Tuesday threatened to commence the pilgrimage from 15th June if the Governor failed to “rectify” the decision.
“We threaten to launch the yatra and start this year’s annual Amarnath yatra ourselves from 15th June if the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board headed by its chairman and Governor N N Vohra did not rectify the decision at the earliest,” VHP National Spokesperson, Prakash Sharma said.
The Yatra traditionally and annually commences from 15th June and ends on 13th August – on Raksha Bandan.
“But the Board decided to cut the yatra period by 15 days and start it on 29th June, hurting (the sentiments of) crores of Hindus in the country,” the VHP leader said.The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) headed by the Governor as its Chairman had announced that the yatra will commence from 29th June instead of its commencement timing as per the religious calendar of Jaishta Purnima which falls on 15th June.
Sharma lashed at the State Government and Governor N N Vohra for triggering an agitation on the pattern of the Amarnath land row of 2008 and said “they have taken such a decision under the pressure of the separatists in Kashmir”.
“We urge the Governor to reconsider the decision immediately so that the yatra is commenced normally. Otherwise, we also will launch an agitation across the country before starting the yatra ourselves,” he said.