The political tempest in Jammu and Kashmir set off by Tuesday's resignation of state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to take time to blow over.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday submitted his resignation to Governor N N Vohra.
The annual Amarnath yatra has been re-scheduled and will now commence from June 15. The postponement has been forced by the presence of heavy snow on the yatra route to the Himalayan Cave Shrine located at a height of 13000 feet from both southern Chandanwari and northern Baltal routes.
In a fresh attempt to restore peace in the volatile Jammu region, Governor N N Vohra on Wednesday night appointed a four-member team to talk to the protesters and end the month-long stalemate in the state.The committee comprises former chief secretary of the state S S Bollowria, Vice Chancellor of Jammu University Amitabh Mattoo, retired judge of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice G D Sharma and Principle Secretary to the Governor B B Vyas, official sources said.
According to a press statement issued after the all-party meeting, communalisation of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir should be prevented at all costs as this would adversely impact the secular fabric of the nation.
Although the curfew was lifted on Tuesday from Jammu and the adjoining areas, the region witnessed protest rallies yet again, demanding the removal of Governor N N Vohra and the restoration of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
Rejecting the appeal of Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the protesters poured on the streets and thorough fares of the city early Saturday morning, demanding revocation of order under which 39.88 hectares of forest land were transferred to the Amarnath board last month. However, the police action proved futile as the protesters, after dispersing temporarily, reassembled to continue their agitation, they said.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra has accepted the resignation of Health Minister Shabir Ahmad Khan, who stepped down after he was accused of molestation by a local doctor.
The recently reconstituted Shri Amarnath Shrine Board on Monday took a major decision appointing a high profile panel for the preservation of the environment enroute and around the Holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah on Sunday evening met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra in the winter capital Jammu and staked claim to form the government. Omar was earlier chosen as the leader of the NC legislature party and state Congress president Saif-ud-Din Soz and another senior party leader Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam met Vohra and handed over a letter pledging the party's support to the NC.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah resumed office on Friday, a day after Governor N N Vohra rejected his resignation which he had tendered over allegations by a senior Peoples Democratic Party leader of his being involved in the 2006 sex scandal case.
The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine will begin on Monday albeit only from the Baltel route as the traditional south route via Pahalgam is still snow-bound.
The ongoing agitation in the Jammu region and the situation in the Kashmir Valley seem to have forced Vohra to reverse his earlier decision not to appoint any advisor and had invested secretary to government with powers to deal with the issues of their respective departments.
All 10 members of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board sent in their resignations to Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra on Wednesday.
Governor N N Vohra issued a proclamation on Thursday evening, in exercise of powers conferred by Section 92 of the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, and assumed, 'with immediate effect all the functions of the government of the state and all powers vested in or exercisable by anybody or authority in the state, other than the powers vested in or exercisable by the high court'.
President A P J Abdul Kalam gave away the awards to 58 eminent personalities from different walks of life at a glittering ceremony held at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Talks will resume between Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra's mediator and the group spearheading the agitation over the Amarnath land row on Saturday, amidst reports that a peace formula was in the making.S S Bloeria will hold talks with the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti in Jammu on the issue. The talks were deferred over the last two days because Bloeria was unwell.Amidst reports of peace formula in the offing, the group spokesman said there was no such proposal.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra told Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that the Amarnath Shrine Board would not pursue the transfer of land.
N N Vohra, the first bureaucrat to be appointed as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir in 18 years, told rediff.com that he expected the Centre to formally announce his appointment by Thursday.The government has asked Vohra to hold talks with all the political parties and prepare a comprehensive report on the steps that need to be taken to improve the situation in the troubled state. Vohra will succeed Lieutenant General S K Sinha, whose term expired last week.
Centre's pointsman N N Vohra is visiting Kashmir next week to attend the Indo-European Union round table conference in Srinagar and is likely to meet Hurriyat Conference leaders during his three-day stay.
The prime minister has been briefed about the talks held earlier last year during the NDA regime.
Vohra, whose efforts had resulted in two rounds of talks between the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, quit the post citing that his appointment had been made by the previous government
The chief minister said Vohras appointment as interlocutor would 'provide a good opportunity' for a meaningful dialogue with the elected representatives and other sections in the state.
The president said he was hopeful that "all among us will fulfill the responsibility of securing our girl child".
The Manmohan Singh government issued the orders on Wednesday, more than a week after the 70-year-old former Union home secretary quit the post.
The deputy prime minister said the Centre was willing to hold talks with 'any group, which will lay down arms and shun the path of violence'.
A local court on Saturday issued an arrest warrant against former Jammu and Kashmir junior health minister Shabir Ahmad Khan allegedly involved in sexual assault on a doctor in Srinagar.
Former minister of state for home, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo who had resigned in the aftermath of the August 9 Kishtwar communal clashes has been re-inducted in the Jammu and Kashmir council of ministers on Saturday.
Hurriyat had held the second round of talks on March 27 with the then deputy prime minister L K Advani.
Vohra said he would first meet important people in the legislature and based on those interactions, drwa up a programme for future talks.
Jammu and Kashmir Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday over communal violence in Kishtwar that claimed three lives.
The BJP can only form a government if the PDP splits.
The defence minister will review the security situation along the Line of Control in the Valley and Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region.
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