Agitation will continue until land at Baltal is returned: SASS

Talking tough, Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti (SASS) on Sunday said it will continue with its agitation until a piece of land at Baltal is returned to the shrine board. Alleging that the Centre was adopting a biased stand on Jammu and Kashmir by following a policy of appeasement towards the valley, SASS convenor Leela Karan Sharma said, "The Central government has been a mute spectator. It is following a wrong policy of division." Sharma threatened to march to Baltal, where the piece of land is located, if the SASS' demand of reverting it to the shrine board was not met. "We have many options to continue our protests. But we would better not disclose them," he told reporters here. When asked whether economic blockade was one of the options, Sharma said "It could be. But right now there is no blockade. If we really do, the whole world will come to know". Blaming Centre's "wrong policies" for the present crisis in the state, he said if the government wanted to save the country from terrorism, it has to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Jammu. "Kashmir is the gateway of terrorism to India. If you want to save the country, you have to strengthen Jammu. We appeal to the people of India to stand behind the people of Jammu," Sharma said. The Samiti objected to the handing over of the management of the Amarnath Yatra to the state Tourism Department saying it has no locus standi to handle Hindu religious affairs.