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| India-Pakistan |
| Hurriyat faction okay with separate Hindu Jammu state |
| 2008-08-07 |
| The ongoing agitation in Jammu and Kashmir over the Amarnath land row acquired a new dimension on Wednesday, with the moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and a score of Muslim social outfits saying they had no objection to some Hindu organisations being granted their demand of a separate Jammu state. In a meeting in Srinagar, the Hurriyat conglomerate said it was acceptable if a separate state was carved out of the two and a half Hindu majority districts, while another meeting in Poonch called for the merger of Muslim majority areas of Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts. Among the 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Hindus constitute a majority in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and half of Reasi, while Buddhists constitute a majority in Ladakh's Leh district. The Hurriyat meeting also planned to hold an all-party meeting in Kashmir soon to build up momentum against the Hindu agitation in Jammu, and warned the government against any attempt to restore land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The land allocation was revoked due to violence in the Kashmir valley that saw regional political parties joining hands with separatists. The meeting, chaired by Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also endorsed the demand of Kashmiri fruit growers and traders to let them take their produce to Muzaffarabad across the Line of Control if the government was unable to lift the Jammu-Srinagar highway blockade. In Poonch, a Muslim United Welfare Forum organised a meeting of Jammu division social organisations to call for the merger of Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts in Kashmir. The meeting was attended by prominent Muslims concerned over the "atrocities being committed on Muslims in various parts of Jammu", and asked the government to ensure safety for Muslims and shopkeepers. |
| Posted by:Fred |