PDP alleges NC leader's role in 2008 Amarnath agitation

Opposition PDP today alleged that NC leader Devender Rana had provided monetary support to Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, which had spearheaded an agitation in favour of land transfer to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board that had led to the 2008 Amarnath land row agitation.
"Rana not only provided monetary support to the communal Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, which spearheaded the agitation in Jammu that ensured the worst economic blockade to Kashmir, but even used his Take One (TV) channel to spread hatred between communities," PDP national spokesperson Sameer Kaul said in a statement here.
Kaul alleged that Rana, who was advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah till January this year, and his family members had a direct role in the "unfortunate" polarisation of 2008.

He called for independent investigation into the activities of his TV channel during that period.
"There had been inquiries into the role of the Rana family whose one member was a spokesman of the Amarnath Samiti during his tenure in government service.
"The role of Take One channel had also been questioned but Rana used his strong family connections in the then Governor's administration to scuttle both probes," Kaul claimed.

"He (Rana) is even believed to have been helped in averting a probe by some of his influential friends who are now spending time in jail in serious criminal cases," he said.

Rana had alleged on June 5 that PDP and BJP had hatched a conspiracy in 2008 to "trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir," to destroy the secular fabric of the state and also to pull down the then Congress-led coalition government.
Kaul claimed that the monopoly on the new cabling system had been secured through foul methods which had been opposed by cable operators but "Rana's influence is reported to be working against everyone else in the business to let his channel make fortunes".