BJP supporters, police clash during Jammu shutdown
30 Jun 2008, 1258 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Jammu, June 30 (ANI): Activists of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other units of the Sangh Parivar clashed with the police during a shutdown call given by them in protest against the politicisation of the allotment of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board here today.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and transport was off the road as protestors organized marches and burnt effigies of Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and People Democratic Party's patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Protestors demanded the removal of Governor Vohra after the Amarnath shrine Board gave up its claim to 40 hectares of forest land allotted to it in Anantnag district. Security was beefed up in sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident.

On Sunday, after withdrawing support to the Congress-led coalition in the state, the PDP had questioned the Jammu and Kashmir Government's decision to transfer forestland to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

That decision has triggered large-scale protests and violence in the state for the past few days.

A state Government decision to take over the Board has not quilted the disturbances.

The BJP has threatened to intensify its protest.

PDP has 18 MLA's in the 87-member State Assembly while Congress has 21 members. The ruling coalition has the support of eight Independents and two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MLA's. (ANI)