Amarnath land transfer controversy

Amarnath land transfer controversy

On 26 May, 2008, the Government of India and state government of Jammu and Kashmir reached an agreement to transfer convert|100|acre|km2 of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) out of the total land area of convert|15520.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=on in the main Kashmir valley [http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=451819&sid=NAT] to set up temporary shelters and facilities for the Hindu pilgrims. This caused a controversy, with demonstrations from the Kashmir valley against the land transfer and protests from the Jammu region supporting it.

Kashmir protests

Six people were killed and 100 injured when police fired into a crowd in Srinagar protesting the transfer of forest land. [cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=5492bdcc-eeb4-4374-b1e8-1245ffa50458&ParentID=04ff6b34-348b-4d08-b41b-e6e5713706ac&&Headline=Kashmiri+Pandits+seek+PM's+intervention|title=Amarnath row: Kashmiri Pandits seek PM's intervention|publisher=Press Trust of India|date=2008-06-25|accessdate=2008-06-25] Separatist JKLF (R) organized a march to the controversial land in Baltal. The death of a JKLF(R) activist in a fire opened [ http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=24_6_2008&ItemID=26&cat=21] by the Security Forces became the flash point for protests in the Kashmir valley region. Senior separatist leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which planned the protests, were placed under house arrest. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Shutdown_in_Kashmir_separatist_leaders_under_house_arrest/articleshow/3341886.cms] [cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Land_allotment_Violence_in_Srinagar/articleshow/3156807.cms|title=Violence in Srinagar over land allotment to Amarnath board|publisher=Times of India|date=2008-06-25|accessdate=2008-06-25] Throughout the Srinigar area, most public buildings, including schools and government offices, and many businesses, have remained closed. [cite news|last=Gilani|first=Iftikhar|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C06%5C26%5Cstory_26-6-2008_pg1_7|title=Hindu-Muslim clashes escalate in IHK|publisher=Daily Times|date=2008-06-26|accessdate=2008-06-26]

Environmental concerns

Initial opposition to the land transfer was based on environmental concerns. Some environmentalists argued that the land transfer would hamper the region's delicate ecological balance. However, hundreds of acres of forested land were destroyed for the construction of a road linking Poonch to Rajouri. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/File_Controversy_over_Amarnath_land_allotment_poll_gimmick/articleshow/3173849.cms]

Reports that the SASB was planning to construct dams across the river Indus to generate electricity for the shrine were unconfirmed. [Gilani, Iftikhar. [http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Amarnath temple — See also amarnath land transfer controversy for 2008 Jammu and Kashmir protests Infobox Mandir creator = Baba Amarnath proper name = Cave Temple of Lord Amarnath ji primary deity = Amarnath (Shiva) architecture = location = Amarnath, Jammu and… …   Wikipedia

  • Kashmir conflict — The disputed areas of the region of Kashmir. India claims the entire erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir based on an instrument of accession signed in 1947. Pakistan claims all areas of the erstwhile state except for those claimed by… …   Wikipedia

  • Arundhati Roy — speaking at Harvard University in April 2010. Born …   Wikipedia

  • 2010 Kashmir unrest — The three regions: Jammu(Blue outside brown boundary), the Kashmir valley(Blue inside brown boundary) and Ladakh(Pink). The Muslim dominated Kashmir Valley was the area which saw most of the protests. The 2010 Kashmir unrest was a series of… …   Wikipedia

  • Srinivas Kumar Sinha — Lieutenant General (Retd.) Srinivas Kumar Sinha, PVSM (born 1926) is an Indian soldier. After his retirement, he served as Governor of the states of Jammu and Kashmir and Assam.Early lifeSinha graduated with Honours from Patna University in 1943… …   Wikipedia

  • religion — religionless, adj. /ri lij euhn/, n. 1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and… …   Universalium

  • India — /in dee euh/, n. 1. Hindi, Bharat. a republic in S Asia: a union comprising 25 states and 7 union territories; formerly a British colony; gained independence Aug. 15, 1947; became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations Jan. 26, 1950.… …   Universalium

  • Religious violence in India — includes acts of violence by followers of one religious group against followers and institutions of another religious group, often in the form of rioting.[1] Religions such as Zoroastrianism and Judaism have survived peacefully with Hindus for… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”