Congress is caving in to the demands of fundamentalists: Rajnath

Congress is caving in to the demands of fundamentalists: Rajnath

Restore order allotting land to Shrine Board: BJP
Demands revocation of Article 370

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has called a nationwide hartal for July 3 to coincide with a bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in protest against revocation of the land allotment made to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

After a meeting of party office-bearers here on Tuesday, BJP president Rajnath Singh demanded restoration of the order allowing the Shrine Board to use some forest land to create facilities for pilgrims.

No one and no political party had ever protested against government creating facilities for pilgrims gathering in large numbers at any shrine, Hindu, Muslim or Sikh. He said the government was providing facilities for the Haj and for various ‘urs’ programmes.

Shah Bano case
Mr. Singh charged the Congress with caving in to the demand made by Muslim fundamentalists, even separatist forces in Jammu and Kashmir, as it had done in the Shah Bano case nullifying a Supreme Court judgment through legislation.

The protests by the fundamentalists against provision of facilities to Amarnath pilgrims destroyed the secular fabric of the country.

By caving in to their demands, the Congress demonstrated that it was one with them in creating a “theocratic environment” in the State, said a resolution adopted at the meeting.

Special status
Mr. Singh reiterated the BJP stand favouring revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred a special status on Jammu and Kashmir.

Advani absent
The party’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani did not attend the meeting.
It was noted by party leaders that after many years, the BJP virtually coordinated its ‘action plan’ with the VHP. While the VHP preferred to call the protest a bandh, the BJP described it as a hartal call, mindful of a court order declaring bandh calls punishable with fines. Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/02/stories/2008070262311400.htm

VHP asks Centre to ensure security

GUWAHATI, June 29 – The Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP), North East chapter, today urged the Central Government to ensure safety and security to the Hindu pilgrims visiting the Amarnath shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. Taking strong exception to the volatile situation in J&K, Jyotish Chandra Pathak, president, VHP said, “If the situation is not brought under control immediately, it might hamper the existing communal harmony in the country.”Speaking to newsmen here at the Guwahati Press Club, the Parishad further demanded of the Government to set up a separate secretariat for the development of the Sattras and other religious institutions of the State, as it is done for char (riverine) area development.“Apart from setting up a separate secretariat for the development of the Sattras and other religious institutions of the State, we also demand that the Hindu pilgrims visiting various religious places like the Kamakya temple be given some sort of subsidy by the Government to facilitate their visits,” said Pathak.Pathak also rued that both the Central and the State Government are not doing enough to negate the activities of the fundamentalist organisation operating in the State, especially in the char areas.“Though the activities, as reported by various sections of the media, are increasing, the number of arrests made in this connection is very few and the intelligence wing of the law enforcing agencies has utterly failed to provide any concrete clue,” he rued. He also appealed to the people residing in and around the char areas to keep a strict vigil on anything suspicious and urged them to co-ordinate with the administration in this regard. “Activities of the fundamentalist forces are increasing in alarming proportions but the law enforcing agencies seemed to be least bothered about it, the latest case being that of a district court acquitting as many as 10 alleged ISI operatives owing to lack of concrete evidences,” Pathak asserted.“If the police did not have enough evidence then why were they arrested and if they were really ISI operatives and if there were enough evidences why were those not produced before the court?” he questioned. source: assam tribune