'Centre failed to take up issue of Yatra route via Ladakh'

Congress today hit out at the Narendra Modi government for its alleged in failure taking up the issue of opening of Demchok route in Ladakh for pilgrimage to Kailash Mansoravar, in the ongoing talks with China.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has been engaged with his Chinese counterpart in border talks since yesterday in New Delhi.
"Modi government has failed to take up opening of Demchok in Ladakh for pilgrimage to Kailash Mansoravar in the on-going talk with the China", Congress Legislature Party Leader, Rigzin Jora claimed here today.
"It is unfortunate that he has not taken up with China the opening of a new route from Demchok in Ladakh for pilgrimage to Kailas Masrovar although this was BJP's commitment in the parliamentary election", he told reporters.

Kailash Masrovar is the most sacred and holiest site for Buddhists, Hindus and Jains. The Ladakh offers the easiest access.
"One can drive upto Kailash Mansoravar from Leh in two days without going through any high pass. So far the access is through Pithorgarh in Uttaranchal and recently another route has been opened through Nathu La Pass in Sikkim", he said.

"Both these routes are treacherous and vulnerable to vagaries of nature and climate. Large number of pilgrims have lost their lives negotiating the high passes and the difficult terrain on these two routes", Jora claimed.
The CLP leader further that "Demchok provides the easiest access. In a week, a pilgrim can visit the holy site and be back in Delhi in a week's time."

"This will while affording the Buddhists of Ladakh an opportunity to go on pilgrimage will more importantly give the local economy a huge fillip. There are number of Hindus and Jains willing to undertake this pilgrimage", he added.
Jora said that during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's second tenure, this was taken up with China and it was given to understand that China was "not averse" to it, as Demchok is "not a disputed area".
"In the circumstances it would have been all the more incumbent on the part of the Modi government to have taken it up with China. They did not doing so has disappointed the people of Ladakh", he added.

"Ladakhis feel cheated by the BJP who promised them UT for Ladakh, inclusion of Bodhi in the 8th schedule and opening of Demchok for pilgrimage to Kailash Mansrovar. None of these have been delivered", the former minister claimed.