Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has claimed that the arrangements made for the annual Amarnath Yatra are causing inconvenience in the day-to-day lives of the people of Kashmir and has requested Governor Satya Pal Malik to intervene in the matter. “Amarnath Yatra is taking place since years. But unfortunately, the arrangements done this year are against the people of Kashmir. It’s causing a lot of trouble in the day-to-day lives of local people. I would like to request the Governor to intervene in this,” the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister told reporters on July 7. Denouncing the government’s restriction on the use of Jammu-Srinagar national highway by civilians during Amarnath Yatra, she said, “This Yatra signifies brotherhood. This year the arrangements are done to irk locals. They cannot use the highways, even in an emergency they are forced to wait for pilgrims to pass.” “This is excesses against people by the Central government. I urge the Governor to take action and open the highway for locals,” she asserted. The 46-day long Amarnath Yatra kicked off on July 1 and will conclude on the 15th of next month coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. Since the start of the pilgrimage, over 19,800 devotees have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine.
