New Delhi, Aug 7: Blaming the BJP and the RSS for whipping up communal passions for electoral gains in Jammu and Kashmir over the Amarnath shrine land row, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has asked the central government to initiate efforts to find a way out of the problem.
In an editorial in the latest issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy', the CPI-M pointed out that communal passions were being sharply aroused with rumours spreading like wildfire about Hindus not being allowed to undertake pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine in Kashmir.
“Likewise, extremist elements in the Kashmir Valley are also whipping up passions,” the journal said.
Hindu groups in Jammu region have been demanding restoration of the 40 hectares of land that was first allotted in May to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) - the governing body of the shrine in the Kashmir valley - and withdrawn July 1.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh convened an all-party meeting Wednesday in an effort to find a way out of the land row that has led to the worst communal divide in Jammu and Kashmir in six decades. It was decided to send an all-party delegation to the state.
The CPI-M accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of trying to make electoral gains out of the issue.
“The fact that the RSS/BJP has given a call for a three-day all-India bandh on this issue is indicative of its desire to utilise it to whip up communal passions further in order to try and consolidate its `Hindu vote bank'.”
The editorial also urged the government to initiate dialogue with the agitating groups in Jammu region.
“With the active participation of the BJP leadership, the UPA government must immediately initiate a process of dialogue with the (Sri Amarnath) Sangharsh Samiti which must be accompanied by the suspension of the agitation till a solution is arrived at,” the editorial said.
“In the interests of our country's unity and integrity, in the interests of our country's communal and social harmony and in the interests of safeguarding and strengthening the secular democratic character of the modern Indian republic, it is imperative that the incendiary flames of this communally-charged movement must be doused urgently,” the CPI-M said.
--- IANS
