Rather late to the party Offstumped is still wading through the facts and details of this controversy but a couple of issues stand out.
Issue#1 – The role of the Government in acquiring land to facilitate a religious activity
Issue#2 – The reaction in the streets of Kashmir from the PDP which is a partner in the J&K Government to the assorted separatist outfits.
Normally Offstumped would have viewed the first issue from the prism of Flat World Hindutva that calls for religion to be free of state control from which follows the dharmic principle that religious institutions must stop seeking entitlements from the State.
It is based on this principle Offstumped had been critical of state interference in Sabarimala, Tirupathi and more recently in Tamil Nadu over the new year.? This same principle was also the basis for Offstumped to be critical of Muslim religious institutions and the Communal Socialism of successive Governments for having doled out many decades of entitlements from the State for Wakf and Haj.
But here is the problem with what is happening in the streets of Kashmir on the “diversion” of land to the SASB to facilitate pilgrim friendly activities for the Amarnath Yatra.?
??This is a planned conspiracy to civil occupation of Kashmir? by New Delhi, Ronga said, ?We are not against Hindus and Amarnath Yatra, but we are against the transfer of land to SASB. The Muslims have been at the forefront to provide all possible help to the Yatris during the annual pilgrimage over the years. However, now the SASB is communalizing the issue?.The KBA president said that the SASB would use the land to raise permanent structures to settle non-Kashmiris, thereby changing the Muslim-majority character of the Valley. ?It is a conspiracy to civil occupation and to change the Muslim character of the Valley,? he said.
That was the reaction from the Kashmir Bar Association and this reaction believe it or not has the tacit support of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP which is a coalution partner in the J&K Government.
The debate on the streets of Kashmir is not about state entitlements to religion but about who has first claim to the State’s resources. If in Manmohan Singh’s Communal Socialism Muslims had a first claim to State’s resources because they were a Minority, in the PDP’s Communal Socialism Muslim’s have a first claim on Kashmir’s resources because they are the Majority.
If anyone in India is in any doubt about what the separatist movement in Kashmir has been perverted to after decades of support and interference by Pakistan this should settle all of those doubts.
Offstumped Bottomline: The hounding of Pandits from the Valley cannot be seen as anything but ethnic cleansing to alter the demographics of the Valley to a degree where there is neither shame nor guilt in pursuing a Muslim Agenda in the name of Kashmiriyat. What was passed of as Kashmiriyat for secular International consumption is plain and simple Islamiyat and it is?now sowing the seeds for a?third partition of India on the principle of right to self determination of a Mulsim Majority.
Filed under: Flat World Hindutva, Uncategorized
All the while China is merrily settling Hans in both Xinjiang and Tibet with precisely a view to alter the demographics forever.
The kashmiris will pay a heavy price for their foolishness once Papistan collapses. And Article 370 is gone.
Wishful thinking right now but I hope to see this happen in my lifetime.
well, i see this issue differently, it is in fact the first time in years that hindus are publicly protesting in J&K after decades. Y, 3rd partition, forget it, the Indian army wont let them have their way, i am with sud, dont worry man, i have a gut feeling that NDA will throw the 370 out maybe not in the next term, but sometime soon.
and yes i forgot to mention this, if at all there some intention like this among kashmiri muslims, then if they want kashmiriyat, they better get ready to take along with them all their muslim brothers in the country. I will volunteer for civil service if such a thing happens, for every sq km of land we lose in kashmir (i will pray that it does not happen), we will kick out 500 mullahs from the country. we wont let this go easily, no way.
The kashmir insurgency ended too quickly and inconclusively, we got to keep kashmir, pakis got to cleanse it of hindus. There are still things that need to be settled. The kashmiri pandits need to be resettled in kashmir through the barrel of the gun. The might of the Indian army needs to be unleashed on all seperatists, political and otherwise. Those who want their kashmiriyat can go to POK. The kashmir insurgency needs to be dealt with as pakis deal with insurgencies with helicopter gunships, tanks and fighter jets, lets see who wins then. All revolutions demand blood, lets help the kashmiri traitors pay their dues.
aryan,
If you watch closely and read some journal articles on indian army’s relationship with the govt, it is pretty clear they dont care a damn for congress politics especially in kashmir. In the midst of all this, they have made sure that not a single hindu dies at the hands of these separatists during this shrine controversy. when the panidts were driven out earlier, the army was not in full strength there, but now the separatists can pee in their own ABODE.
Murali,
The Isreali model needs to be followed from resettlement of the pandits to the control of hostile populations through the use of strategic check points. The isrealis have settled jews in hostile hamas controlled Gaza, why cant we do the same with pandits in Kashmir ? A kashmiri should not even be able to relieve himself without the permission of an Indian soldier. Not only pandits other hindus, about 4 million of them need to be settled in kashmir, so that we can have atleast 4.5 million hindus to 4 million kashmiri muslims, and thats just a start. Lets make the mullahs worst nightmare come true, change the muslim nature of the valley.
Bloody-thirsty Hindu fascists,
Please understand that the rage boy(s) are fighting for the cause of environment,especially destruction that the uncouth yatris will cause to fragile ecosystem of the beautiful state of Kashmir.Truly secular cause.
Please do not lend communal color to such secular protest espoused by our bearded brethrens of Kashmir
The essence of great philosophy of Kashmiryat is tolerance and respect to other religions.This has been demonstrated from time immemorial.Please read the work of masterly scholars like Yoginder Sikand to understand that there has not been any exodus of Kashmiri Hindus
Thanks
Blime, why is no one questioning the non-sense that is called the amarnath shrine. Can you believe educated indians worshipping an iceberg as shivling and ruining the eco-system based on that superstition?
The Muslims in J & K agitating against the land handed over to the SASB is just bull shit.
This just another example on how thankless is the Muslim community in India. The zillions of rupees spent on the development of the Muslim community after independence and they gave is the MADARSSA system, they still are where they were at the time of independence, due to their own choice of path.
A Classic example, Yasin Malik(Indian Kashmiri)is at present in Islamabad meeting the NEW government of Pakistan.
Tell me which MAJORITY population of any country would allow such freedom to a dissident section of a country?
Take CYPRUS as an example, the Turks and the Greeks did not look eye to eye and the never had such freedom till the dawn of the 21 st century.
The point is that we have been too GOOD with such acts, why because our POLITICIANS ( BJP INCLUDED) have been putting personal interest over the NATIONAL INTEREST.
The Muslim community is just thankless to efforts of the Majority Hindus in this country. Hindus are the largest tax paying block, not because of their majority status, because deep in their heart they are honest and think about the country by paying taxes, surcharges, Haj subsidies etc.
Its time that the MINORITIES stop cribbing about the dismal state of affairs for them in the country and take a positive frame of thinking and things will improve drastically.
A Personal view, I feel Mufti Mohd. Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti must be locked up in padded cell and never to be released.
They are PLAIN TRAITORS, This is the same Mehbooba for whom the army released dreaded terrorists in exchange of her freedom.
Just hear her talk and it wont take you 2 seconds to realize how much contempt she has for the REPUBLIC OF INDIA.
The fact that we tolerate such TRAITORS it self is a testimony of our greatness.
I have written this before and I am repeating it. The Israelis had suggested to the ABV government that lands around all our borders must be settled by Indian army Ex soldiers who either retired or finished their commission, why?
THIS BECOMES THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE IN EVENT OF AN ATTACK. This was in the after math of the Kargil crisis.
The proposal was to create COMMUNES of such farmlands with ex soldiers would serve two purposes, First line of defence and kind of a sop to these soldiers.
ABV / George were in favor of it, but unfortunately they lost the 2004 elections and then you know ISRAEL is like a abuse to the UPA.
Merely by RE SETTLING the pandits will not settle the issue, SECURITY FOR them will be a question.
Above Israeli suggestion must be taken up and then the Pandits must be re settled.
Mufti WAS in fact made HOME MINISTER in another madman, V.P.Singh’s cabinet to satisfy the Sullah vote bank and TERRORISM in Kashmir started in right earnest.
Fear not my brave brethren it will hearten you to know that 59% Indians have said yes to third degree torture of terrorists in response to a poll – the largest among all the 14 nations polled.
They have also expressed the lowest support for unequivocal response against torture.
Highest support for the unequivocal response against torture came from Spain, Britain and France (all 82%), followd by Mexico, China, Palestinian territories, Poland etc
India is one of the 4 countries espousing such a posiiton others are Turkey, Nigeria and Thailand.
Jiggs, Murali and all others:
I think that Congress will take N deal issue to the people during elections – paint itself as the victim and demonise the BJP for not saving the day but it will never say a word against the commies. It will portray itself as the only party capable of saving and serving the national interest.
The million dollar question here is will the aam admi be taken in by the mother son duo?
India need to draw people from other populace states to kashmir, specially hindu. If we want to keep kashmir in long term, then we have to increase the % of hindus in valley.
All of us know that every part of indian subcontinent went out of india as soon as hindus were minority there.
Jiggs,
just nitpicking, it wasnt Mehbooba for whom the terrorists were released in 1989, it was her sister Rubaiya Sayeed. Doesnt really matter.
The point is that appropriation of Kashmir by Muslims in complete denial of the Hindu culture within the state, is something that needs to be strongly confronted. And that is something we cannot expect from the Indian Govt, atleast not the UPA Govt.
Even a tiny Cyprus has the same problem (Mullahs ofcourse). It is astonishing to see their capability to nail a powerful Turkey with just 10K odd army men.
A Combination of English, Israeli and BJP’s strategy shud be followed. Kick out 370, eliminate traitors one-by-one, bring in Ex-Army men in the borders, pardon and rehab the prisoners in the valley areas and bring back pundits to Jammu areas.
bhanu,
congress is gone man, as i have already stated, the aam aadmi does not even know a thing on the N-Deal, so forget the sympathy factor.
by the way JIGGS, this is for you
http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/opinion/opinion/all-is-not-really-well-with-maharashtra.aspx
What do you think about that
Murali
Murali,
Sympathy factor will still be there, especially in rural areas, if the left withdraws support no matter for what reason. All they wanna hear is UPA didn’t complete its term coz of Commies. Who knows dhimmedia can even spin it in such a way, that Govt. collapsed because of non-co-operation of BJP for a ‘National Cause’.
Tantric Ninja
<>
By your logic, Muslims, all over the world, worshipping a stone at Mecca, are following a superstition and ‘ruining the eco-system based on that superstition’.
What a fantastic idea!
You are sowing wind to reap whirlwind. Be rest assured.
You won’t hear a squeak from that Kashmiri Jihadi lapdog Badri Raina
Tantric Ninja
There are only a few superstitions in the world actually
1. The fucking worship of a torture instrument, cross and DRINKING the BLOOD of fictitious, fatherless Christoo by the Xtians and “MURDER OF BILLIONS OF DUCKS AND FOALS, DOGS and CATS” on the supposed Birth from “Virgin” AND THE SUBSEQUENT disturbance in eco system and food chain, due to foolishness of Asuric Barbarians (White predominatly and their leftover products of debatable parentage, of brown variety)
2. The billions going to worship a stone and stoning an “anti stone” with tonnes and tonnes of stones and polyethene, and shit gathered and dumped in the sea with devastating affect on poor sea dwellers
3. The superstition killing of poor goats in billions twice a year, celeberation in blood of Idulzuha
4. The superstition of Corpse worshipping (Lenin) by the derivatives of Xtianity called Commies
Greatest and most dangerous pollution is however allowing these and their “sickular” drain swines the right to breathe in India. Those who do not like it here are free to leave to their gutters in Pakistan,snake eating China, insect and dog eating Korea, or around 80 “motherfucking no sin” christian countries OR they want a right to be wiped out also in constitution for themselves
Political gains in Kashmir
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Editorials/Political_gains_in_Kashmir/articleshow/3165525.cms
Outgoing J&K governor S K Sinha’s handling of the controversy around the transfer of land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), and the widespread — and increasingly intense— protests in the Valley represent the wider disconnect between the state and the people. In the process, the Amarnath yatra, once an example of Hindu-Muslim amity, has been turned into a locus of communal polarisation.
The Centre must direct the state government to immediately rescind the land transfer in order to ensure that political gains made in the state are not frittered away. The violent protests in the Valley are not merely a case of some Islamists seeking to exploit the situation, but also the result of denial of political agency to the people.
Kashmiri fears of a takeover of land, or even the anger at the ecological damage to the area, is part of that perception of being excluded. The SASB, with Sinha at its helm, has consistently rebuffed demands for any accountability. It has, instead, steadily been turning the yatra from a people’s pilgrimage into an exclusionary, and purely commercial, exercise. The participation of the mostly Muslim population of the area has been greatly reduced, and in fact, if reports in local newspapers are to be believed, the SASB has also violated the land transfer agreement with the state government by constructing permanent structures.
Indeed, the whole controversy is rooted in the malaise afflicting the polity in the state. The entire political process in J&K is a top-down affair, dictated not by the impulse of building a participatory democracy but by a law-and-order approach to politics. With continuing disaffection, and now the call for a boycott of the impending elections by a reunited Hurriyat Conference, it is also highly debatable whether mere electoral exercises can establish a genuinely representative political agency.
In the absence of the latter, political parties will only continue to cynically use such controversies for electoral gains. The larger sense of alienation in the state can only be mitigated by an easing of the security-based imperatives and allowing space for a functionally democratic process to emerge.
___________________________________________
Dont you hindu fascists get it, it’s all about alienation, exclusion of kashmiri muslims, their fear of takeover and land and ofcourse ecology. It’s not the bearded rage boys at fault, its the friggin hindu pilgrims.
Life in Kashmir in standstill, Hindus have no future?
MIL, Jun 26, 2008. Dr. Raj Baldev
http://www.internationalreporter.com/News-3803/Life-in-Kashmir-in-standstill,-Hindus-have-no-future-.html
New Delhi, India: June 26, 2008 – It seems that Hindus have no voice anywhere in this so-called democratic India, wherever the basic privileges are announced in their favor, the protests emerge against them. The govt.can’t think of even giving basic amenities to the Hindu pilgrims, how ridiculous!
Every year, thousands of Hindus visit Amarnath cave, considered one of the holiest shrines of the Hindu faith. They have no basic amenities on their way like toilets or to give some rest to the old pilgrims.
In absence of such amenities, the passages which the pilgrims use are normally affected by non regular toileting on their way and that created unhygienic environment.
In addition, the sick and old people used to suffer dreadfully in absence of any resting place where they could be given first aid or rest for a while to ease their fatigue. As a result of non hygienic conditions, the people have been urging the govt. to improve the passage by providing basic amenities of toilets and provide pre-fabricated huts to meet the emergency of the old and the sick.
There has been a long outstanding demand from the public, the Hindu pilgrims, that some arrangement should be made to provide basic amenities to them like toilets and temporary pre-fabricated huts to help then on the way.
As a result of long outstanding demand to give basic facilities to the pilgrims, the state government decided to transfer around 40 hectares of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board – the organization which organizes the pilgrimage.
As said, Hindus look to have no right to avail the
basic facilities in democratic India, at least in some parts, where they have their holy shrines. I don’t know who to blame?
The local environmentalists protested against the decision and local politicians joined them in opposing the issue, irrespective of showing any respect to the human values, emotional sentiments of the Hindu pilgrims or the human considerations, is it so that they are Hindus?
Since the protestors have no logical argument to oppose the issue, they started alleging that the transfer of land to the shrine board is part of a “conspiracy to settle non-local Hindus in the valley with a view to reducing the Muslims to a minority”.
Really it is unfortunate, where the question of their settlement arises. The govt. did not settle any Hindu in 50 years and now they would do it?
If this is the thinking of the people in Kashmir,it is unfortunate. They turned away thousands of Hindus Pundits from their valley, and they were protected and rehabilated by the Govt. in other states of the country.
They are now protesting against providing basic amenities to the Hindu pilgrims, blocking the way, shutting the shops in the valley and creating unending traffic jams not allowing the passengers to move about, all educational institutions are closed and normal business has come to a standstill. What’s this?
How much India aids to Jammu and Kashmir in which the tax ratio of the Hindus in India is more 80%. In other words, the financial aid that comes to this state from India, comprises substantial contribution from the Hindus, still they are denied even basic amenities in Kashmir while visiting their holy shrine.
Since political parties have no credibility of their loyalty, their loyalty is restricted to cheap publicity stunt and nothing else have also joined the protestors like National Conference and constituents of the governing coalition – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Communist Party-Marxist (CPI-M); the former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayed has also demanded to revoke the transfer of land.
I really don’t know where India is going and how Kashmir is thinking? It is not a good sign of harmony?
I really don’t understand why people still keep voting for congress after all this blatant discrimination being done on name of religion. How many years of hitting and slavery it will take for people to realize and vote properly??
Is it voter apathy? Is it casteism?
Is BJP not articulate enough?? Is BJP not managing things properly?
What is it??
Its media man! You have the media in your pocket, you have the nation with you.
In such instances, I always am reminded of the Bond movie “Tomorrow Never Dies” where a megalomaniacal media baron foments war between Britain and China.
@Ravindra ( Comment # 16)
I stand corrected , it was Rubaiiya sayeed.
Thanx mate
Kedar,
Come on man, enough of this media crap, the dhimmi english language media is read by not more than 3-4% of the country ok. I dont think the hindi regional papers are biased. and come on north mein who is voting congress. They dont get votes in UP, Bihar, Jharkand, Rajasthan or MP are anywhere. It is the south that votes congress. and Maharashtra in state. BJP needs to get more votes back which the regional parties are taking up. and most importantly congress wins because we HINDUS DONT VOTE.
Some innovations on campaigning side.
Move over Mario, CM Modi’s here to play
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/327131.html
While this speaks volumes about Mr. Modi’s popularity among youth, I just wonder how can you overlook figures? The Orkut community, mentioned in the article, has more than 12,400 members, around 12.4 times the figure provided
Anyway
The count down begins BJP announced candidates for 6 seats
Gujarat 6 Gandhinagar Shri L.K. Advani
Punjab 2 Amritsar Shri Navjot Singh Siddhu
1 Gurdaspur Shri Vinod Khanna
Goa 1 North Goa (Panji) Shri Sripad Naik
Uttarakhand 2 Garhwal (Pauri) Lt. Gen. T.P.S. Rawat
Himachal Pradesh 3 Hamirpur Shri Anurag Thakur
All these 6 seats look sure to me, so the BJP/NDA have opened the account with a six.
Jai Hind
Hey Murali….
Thanx for that Asian Age stuff, I think the writer himself is confused in this BHOOL BHOOLIYA Maharashtra political Maze
Here’ another one ” MNS FIELDS PRAKASH MAHAJAN IN A STATE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL POLLS IN AURANGABAD IN MARATHWADA, ”
Marathwada is where the Mahajans and Munde are from, BJP currently holds the seat. What a mess?
Its in IE today,Cant find it on the website.
This will go on and on, regional parties…bloody regional parties…..
Bye the Bye ….Gujjubhai & Guys…..
Balasaheb has literally raped the Commies in the IE today he has penned a new name “RED MONKEYS”
Again cant find it on their website, so you guys will have to do with this snippet.
@Kedar…..
The media seems to me like have done a crash course in DR JOSEF GOEBBELS kind of propaganda!!!!!!!
Yes it is , this GOEBBELIZED propaganda by the Indian media.
gujjuman,
its the hindu relegion, the misguided application of non violence and ‘sarva dharma sambhavna’, the nehruism which has not taught hindu kids about the perils of islamofascism and the true brual history of Islamic rule in India, the caste divisions, and the fatalistic hindu notion that all this is ‘maya’, then why give a crap ? furthermore, Islam is politicized relegion, hinduism is completely apolitical.
Like modi said in gujurati, describing hindu apathy
“mare su, ne ema maru su?”
what does this have to do with me ? what’s in it for me ?
@Aryan….
“hinduism is completely apolitical.”
Spot on Brother, Spot on…….
It is our greatness that we have tolerated all this in our civlization and the mordern history.
@jiggs
In the third century, roman emperor constantine ‘reformed’ christianity and made it into a cohesive political front with the pope at it’s head. If that hadnt happened, we would be looking at an islamic europe today.
If we dont do this, reform hinduism to unite, we’re sitting ducks for the jihadis, missionaries, commies and anybody else that wishes us ill.
One quick question
Why is BJP wasting Advani Ji by making him contest from Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar is anyday a safe BJP seat no matter who contests, Advani should contest somewhere else where he can turn it around for BJP.
Aryan very true!!
Europe fought against middle east and central Asian islamic invasions for almost 1000 years. Although Rajput Hindu kings and other fought against Islamic invasion for years,, they couldn’t stop them because general public or common man was never participant in this wars. It was just because of plural nature that Hindu religion adopted during competition with Buddhism and Jainism. If we indeed had Hindu religion institutionalized, their would have been concentrated and coherent resistance to foreign invasions.
[...] « The Amarnath Shrine Controversy [...]
@Murali….
ALL OFFENCE MEANT ….But Advani always contest’s from the SAFEST seat for the BJP ….GANDHINAGAR.BJP can never ever lose this seat.
He is a pussy, thats what….
These protests are the continuation of the 1000 year old civilizational obliteration of the Hindus.
Kashmir, a traditionally Hindu land, can no longer host pilgrims, let alone any original Hindu inhabitants who have fled leaving home and hearth betryated by their muslim kin.
10 crore Hindus were killed in the name of religion since the scimitar wielding mleccha began uprooting us from our lands, displacing us with the fury of a religious rancour we could not conceive of or understand.
Its time to UNDERSTAND and AKNOWLEDGE the true nature of this civilizational struggle.
Jai Hindutva
Pilgrims deserve better
Rajiv Sikri
http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/27guest2.htm
It is distressing and alarming that communal tension is rising over the decision of the Jammu and Kashmir [Images] state government to transfer a little less than 40 hectares of land to the Sri Amarnathji Shrine Board to enable the latter to provide accommodation facilities to the thousands of Hindu pilgrims who visit the Amarnath shrine every summer. One cannot expect separatist and militant outfits in Jammu and Kashmir to make a sober and mature appraisal of the larger issues at stake. It is the attitude of mainstream political parties that is most disappointing and worrying.
The specious grounds for the the Peoples Democratic Party’s objections are that the implementation of the decision of the state government would change the “eco-cultural character” of the state. What is the nature of this eco-cultural character of Jammu and Kashmir that is so fragile that it cannot survive the transfer of a small tract of land? Does the Kashmir valley have only a “Muslim” character? What happened to the much-touted Kashmiriyat? Or is that a politically correct platitude that has become an inconvenience to be ignored now that most of the Kashmiri Pandits have been hounded out of their homes in the Valley to Jammu, Delhi and elsewhere in India? Kashmiri politicians owe it to the rest of India to clarify their position on this issue.
To my mind, whether or not the land in question should be transferred to the SASB is only a technical question, not the heart of the issue. The more important thing is whether the state government feels that it has an obligation to improve the facilities that would make the pilgrimage of thousands of Hindu devotees more secure and more comfortable. For centuries pilgrims have been making the arduous trip to Amarnath cave without the benefit of any facilitation by the state. They relied on the local people for food, accommodation and other facilities. They lived in tents. But a caring State in independent India can and should do more.
It would be instructive to see what the Government of India does for Haj pilgrims visiting Mecca and Medina. The government is, in the words of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, “committed to ensure that the best possible arrangements are put in place for the comfort and well-being of Indian pilgrims to facilitate their sacred pilgrimage.” The “welfare and well-being of Haj pilgrims,” he says, “is always a matter of utmost concern to the government.”
In keeping with these public policy statements, the Government of India makes elaborate arrangements for the welfare of Haj pilgrims and strives to improve the facilities provided to them every year. That is how it should be. The Government of India, and the ministry of external affairs in particular, deserves credit for providing perhaps the best arrangements that any government makes for their Haj pilgrims.
And what exactly does the Government of India do? For starters, it provides an airfare subsidy to about 100,000 pilgrims selected by the Haj Committee of India who go for Haj annually. Pilgrims pay only Rs 12,000 for their air travel. This figure has remained unchanged for at least a decade or more.
According to official figures, this subsidy was Rs 280 crores in 2006, or about Rs 28,000 per pilgrim. Today, with rising fuel prices, this figure would have gone up to Rs 350-400 crores. Although there is a 2006 Allahabad high court judgment ruling against this subsidy, it continues to be given because the government got the Supreme Court to pass a stay order.
Add to this the losses suffered by Air India, and the inconvenience to passengers because its planes are diverted to carry Haj pilgrims. For the convenience of pilgrims, charter flights are operated directly from 16 airports in India to Saudi Arabia. Returning pilgrims can transport 10 litres of holy Zam Zam water with them free of cost. At Delhi airport there is a separate Haj terminal. To improve the comfort of pilgrims, Air India has been advised to use wide-body jets in future for their Haj flights.
Great attention and care to Haj matters is given at the highest levels of government. The United Progressive Alliance government has successfully lobbied with the Saudi government to increase the quota for pilgrims from India, as a result of which the annual quota has increased by 38,000 over the last four years. It will go up by a further 3,000 or so this year because of the exertions of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to Saudi Arabia in April this year.
There is a separate Haj cell in the ministry of external affairs. The Haj Committee of India has its own premises in Mumbai. Similarly the State Haj Committees have their own premises in various other Indian cities. These facilities have been built on land provided by the state governments.
Very high priority is given to Haj matters in the mandate given by the government to both the Indian ambassador in Riyadh and the Indian consul general in Jeddah. Every government in Delhi has ensured that only Muslims are appointed to these posts, a practical decision intended to facilitate their travel to Mecca and Medina, where non-Muslims are not allowed. There is also a separate consul for Haj matters in the Indian consulate general in Jeddah.
Accommodation in Mecca and Medina is decided keeping in mind the need to provide maximum convenience and comfort to the pilgrims. Typically, all accommodation has lifts, telephones, running water, electricity and telephone at the minimum. There is total computerisation of pilgrim location and movement. During Haj, a large contingent of seasonal local staff, supervisors, data entry operators, as well as drivers and messengers (whose job is to round up and bring home safely elderly pilgrims who may have got lost) is appointed by the consulate general of India, Jeddah, during the Haj period.
For Haj 2007, a contingent of 115 doctors (including 63 specialists with post-graduate degrees) and 141 nurses and other para-medical staff, 3 coordinators, 46 assistant Haj officers, 165 Haj assistants and 186 Khadimul Hujjaj were sent from India on short-term deputation to Saudi Arabia. Special attention is given to medical facilities for the pilgrims.
Some of the facilities provided by the government are: arrangements for polio, meningitis and influenza vaccinations for pilgrims before departure; a 75-bed hospital and 12 branch offices-cum-dispensaries in Mecca; a 15-bed hospital and 6 branch offices-cum-dispensaries in Medina; three medical teams at Jeddah airport to provide medical care round the clock to Haj pilgrims; 17 ambulances in Mecca and Medina; supply of medicines, medical supplies and critical medical equipment from India. All this adds up to the total money spent by the government to facilitate a hassle-free Haj pilgrimage each year for tens of thousands of Muslims from India.
Perhaps our self-righteous and petty Kashmiri politicians in India’s only Muslim-majority state should reflect over these facts and tell us whether they think it is at least their moral if not political obligation to be more caring and sensitive to Hindu pilgrims visiting Amarnath. If we can do so much for Indians going on a pilgrimage abroad, should we not be able to do as much if not better for pilgrims at home?
For a start, should not the Jammu and Kashmir government at least try to match the facilities given to pilgrims to Vaishno Devi shrine, which is located in the same state? And is it too much to expect our politicians and other “secular” leaders to be a bit more courageous and vocal in trying to knock some sense into the heads of shortsighted and irresponsible Kashmiri politicians?
As those in power, both in Delhi and Srinagar [Images], ponder over this matter, the litmus test has to be whether the decision finally taken adds to the comfort and convenience of the pilgrims.
Indian citizens and taxpayers deserve honest answers to the questions posed above.
The simple answer to this will happen when Hindus laay siege to all the HAJ HOUSES of these Mlecchas. These Kashmiri Muslims should be thrown out of all states of India and be warned that Iraq like solution mabe applied but in a much stronger way. The India Army alone is equal in number to number of Valley traitors so it would be 1:1. Let us start by removing the Bangladeshi scums en masse, even if reqd throwing them in sea
However I feel that first the obnoxious mercenaries of Congress- Commmunists and Press Goons and self anointed secular rats should be taken care of in HARD WAY.
I think this agitation is another attempt of MAINO-CHURCH CONSPIRACY AGAINST HINDUS. THIS WHITE ITALIAN NON CULTURED HAS TO BE SHOWN HER REAL WORTH.
By the way I feel that the best solution to all Naxalite-Communist-Secular-Islamofascist-Crusadist mafia was given a few years ago and again by Balasaheb Thackrey. To unleash LTTE in Kashmir, and Hindu suicide squads on the TRAITORS. Well can we start by blockading the NDTV, CNN-IBN, AND TOI bastards in their toilets
Hi,
I need some info quick, about article 370… what does it say? So far I got that it excludes kashmir from article 238, but whats in article 238?
And I’m going to hold back my opinions for now, because I’m biased as hell against our muslim brothers.
Thanks!
[...] can read between the lines in this statement from the Kashmir Bar Association (quoted here and here) and get an idea about the real reason for aggrievement. This is a planned conspiracy to [...]
Here a true Indian speaks on the SASB issue:
Interview with Lt. Gen. Sinha with D.K.Rath/Organiser:
PART ONE:
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=246&page=14
There is only one thing which can save My land from these People. Make India a Hindu Rashtra. People like Narendra Modi Should Take Charge of the Nation and Cleanse this Filth off my motherland.
My Leaders have No Feel for the Country and Countrymen. Why do they not Cry When Kuldeep Read a Patriotic Poem and Given up his Life expressing his inablility to do anything in his Own Land, His Motherland, Hind, Hindustan, Bharat. What Could have He do when the Rulers are Deaf despite their ex-leader Jawaharlal Nehru was himself a Kashmiri Pandit !!
A Bunch of Crooks Came to my country Few hundred of years back. Ruled Me, Divided Me, Dominated Me by Killing my forefathers. They took wealth present in my country. They Converted me forcefully for centuries. I have Learnt Not to Kill any Living being. They Kill their Own Fathers and Take Charge. This is Not Fair. We Need to Put a Full stop to these atrocities. Centuries ago, Khalsa did this for Us. Now, Can I do something to Save my nation from the clutches of this Evil Souls in the form of Human. I do not know if i will be able to do anything but cry.
[...] The Amarnath Shrine Controversy [...]
omar aur uske papa ko itna pata hona chahiya ke vo apne aap ko secular na kahe beti aur bete ko hindu me byahne se aadmi secular nahi hota .
hum mufti mohh sayeed ko samaj sakte hai but ab abdullah bhi in separetist(pakistani)ki bhasa bolane lage hai.
mene dekha hai kai jagah hindu aone masjid ke liye apni jagah dedi hai aur ae jangal ki jamin dene se mana kar rahe hai.