Congress, JKNPP hold protest against state govt

Activists of Congress and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) held separate protests here against the ongoing violence in Kashmir Valley which led to the suspension of Amarnath Yatra from Jammu.

The Congress activists said the state government has failed to provide security to the Amarnath pilgrims.

"The state government has failed to provide security to the Amaranth pilgrims who are left stranded in the base camp in Jammu for the past three days," Congress leader Anil Chopra said.

The activists also burnt the effigy of the state government and raised anti-government slogans.

The activists of JKNPP led by party president Balwant Singh Mankotia held a protest and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National highway causing inconvenience to the commuters for several hours.

"The BJP-PDP government has failed to provide security to the Amarnath pilgrims which resulted in injuries to several pilgrims and damage to hundred of vehicles that were attacked by the stone pelters in Kashmir," he said.

Mankotia said the state government had released 634 stone pelters three days ago in the Valley which is root cause of stone pelting on Amarnath Yatris.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued here, senior Congress leaders accused the state government and district administration for the alleged neglect and failure to address the grievances of stranded Amarnath pilgrims.