Curtailed yatra stokes fire

Ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage this year, the stage is set for a showdown between Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and various socio-religious organisations over the issue of curtailed yatra period. As compared to 45-day-long yatra period in 2011, the shrine board has announced a 37-day-long yatra calendar beginning June 25 this year. The curtailed period has left many socio-religious organisations fuming. The BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have accused the State Government of deliberately trimming down the yatra period to discourage large numbers of pilgrims from performing darshan of the natural ice stalagmite inside the cave shrine.

Read Full Story>>