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| India-Pakistan |
| Mosque being constructed at controversial Hindu pilgrimage site |
| 2008-08-26 |
| The controversy regarding the construction of concrete structures at Baltal by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is all set to deepen further with the revelations that Muslim community of the area is constructing a huge Jamia Masjid exactly inside the camp site at Baltal prompting Hindus to ask whether only Hindu structures were a threat to ecology. In a press release Jammu and Kahsmir Peace Movement (JKPM) has expressed grave concern that while on the one hand Kashmiri Muslims say that construction of any kind at the place would be a biggest threat to ecology on the other hand they are in the process of constructing a huge Mosque exactly inside the Baltal Camp site where pilgrims stay. The place which has put the entire state on boil with twin regions burning for the past more than a month this new revelation is likely to add fuel to the already burning fire. The press note issued by Krishan Koul, Chairman of J&K Peace Movement has expressed his grave concern over the recent statements by some political forces of the state, adding that the construction of Jamia Masjid inside the camping site with the help of local contractor Shajan and his brother at Baltal was a ploy to create another controversy to damage the secular fabric of the state. Supporting his argument with recent photographs of the site Koul said that while interacting with the locals of the area one Mr. Bashir Ahmed told them that the construction of the Jamia Masjid would start once the yatra was over and lakhs of rupees have already been collected for the said construction. Koul has requested the administration to take strict note of this development to avoid another controversy which may lead to more problems for the administration. Decrying Peoples Democratic Party, NC and other political parties of the Valley for raking up controversies over the annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnathji, Koul has said that pilgrimage poses no threat of any sort to the ecology of place and some political forces of the state are hell bent to politicize the issue for their personal gains. In the statement issued here on Saturday, Koul said that the Shrine Board (SASB) had taken all the precautions to preserve the ecology of the area but it were some political forces of the state who try to gain political mileage by raking up the issue time and again. He further said that the workers of his party visited the base camps at Baltal and observed that every precaution was taken to preserve the ecology of the area. He said that the concerned board has taken all the measures to maintain health and hygiene in the camping sites and en-route the Cave Shrine and present turmoil was only to hoodwink the nation. |
| Posted by:john frum |