Amarnath Samiti tells Congress leaders to quit

The Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (AYSS) on Thursday asked the local Congress leaders to have the demand for restoration of land to Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) conceded by the UPA government or else resign from the party and join the agitation.

In a statement, a spokesman of the AYSS said, "The Sangharsh Samiti urged the local Congress leaders to impress upon their high command leading the ruling UPA regime headed by Dr Manmohan Singh to concede the demand of restoration of land to the SASB or otherwise these leaders may resign from the party and join the mass movement."

"The contradiction between approach of the local Congress leaders of Jammu and policies of their high command are creating misconception about the role of local party leaders and creating a situation of mistrust and conflict. In this scenario, if any mishap or clash takes place during the protests or demonstrations, the responsibility shall lie on the local and the central leadership of the Congress party," the statement said.

The spokesman strongly condemned the statement of the Congress spokesman describing the "Samiti in Jammu and separatists in Kashmir as two faces of the same coin".

"While the local Congress leaders are rendering their support, their centre leadership is turning a blind eye to this movement of nationalist people and its comparison to the secessionist activity of the Hurriyat in Kashmir is shameful."

Shifting all blame on the state government for prevailing situation, Samiti reiterated its demand of recalling governor, NN Vohra "who has been adopting wrong policies to sabotage the ongoing movement".