Srinagar: Abdul Rehman, 48, has been running a spare parts shop in the Pantha Chowk transit camp area of Srinagar for the last 30 years. He alleges that a few days ago, the police directed more than 50 shopkeepers located in the area to close the shops for 43 days, till the 2022 Amarnath Yatra has ended. The police, however, said that no such decision has been taken.
“We welcome the Amarnath Yatra from the core of our heart, in fact the shopkeepers mostly rely on the Amarnath Yatra. We often repair their [the yatris’] vehicles, our livelihood is dependent on them. Don’t snatch away our employment,” Rehman told The Wire.
After a gap of three years, the Amarnath Yatra started on Thursday amid tight security measures in Jammu and Kashmir. On the first day, over 3,000 pilgrims visited the ice lingum at the cave shrine. The 43-day pilgrimage began on June 30 and will end on August 11.
The yatra takes place annually, and lakhs of people from across the country come for a darshan of ice lingum at the shrine. For the last three years, however, the yatra was suspended – first it was cut short in 2019 in the aftermath of Article 370 being read down, and then not held in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Because of the gap, there is speculation that record-breaking numbers are expected to come for darshan this year. Large-scale security arrangements have been made.
In Pantha Chowk, shopkeepers inside the transit camp have been asked to provide verification. But they alleged that their businesses have been put at stake in the meantime.
Sohail Ahmed, 37, another shopkeeper, alleged that they have been directed to close down their shops for 40 days. “Our families will go hungry. Our earnings have already collapsed. We reached out to all concerned officials but didn’t get any positive response. I don’t know why we are being asked to shut our shops,” he said.
A group of shop owners staged a protest on Wednesday at Press Enclave, Srinagar against the decision.
Shuttered stores. Photo: Hamid Khan
However, Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar Rakesh Balwal told The Wire that while shopkeepers were asked to go through a verification process, nobody was asked to close their shops for the entire yatra period.
So far, 2.5 lakh yatris have registered for the pilgrimage. “This year, the authorities have made tight security measures for conducting a smooth pilgrimage. I request other devotees who have not registered yet to register themselves to visit the holy cave. We are very thankful to the government for making such arrangements,” Aditya Koul, a devotee, told The Wire.
Officials believe that with six-eight lakh pilgrims anticipated to make the journey, this year’s Amarnath Yatra will be one of the largest in Jammu and Kashmir’s history.
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On day one of the yatra on Thursday, hundreds of pilgrims travelled up to the cave from the twin routes of Sonamarg and Pahalgam. They formed a line and travelled from the 2,743-metre-high Baltal base camp to the shrine in central Kashmir, which is located at a height of 3,657 meters.
Former chief minister of the union territory Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, tweeted, “This year’s Yatra has resumed after 2 years & I’m sure that Kashmiris will welcome them wholeheartedly as always.”
Amarnath Yatra an economic boost for Kashmir
Divisional commissioner for Kashmir P.K. Pole stated that the Amarnath Yatra is not just a pilgrimage, but also a significant economic boost for J&K as the government anticipates revenue of between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 crore. The pilgrims also often visit tourist attractions during their visit.
After assessing the yatra’s arrangements, Pole said the Mir Bazar Anantnag Facilities Center can now hold 2,500 yatris at once, up from 500 previously.
Suhail Ahmed, a shopkeeper, alleged that the concerned police station had directed them to close their shops. “The police officer told us to seek permission a week ago, so we went to the local district administration and followed all procedures. But despite that, we were asked to close our shops,” he alleged.
The shop owners stated that they welcome the yatra and had no objections to it. They said that the devotees frequently shopped at their market.
Balwal, however, insisted that “No one has forced them to close the shops, the police are doing verification of those shopkeepers which are near the yatra routes.”
Shopkeepers protesting against the alleged store closures. Photo: Hamid Khan
Khaliq Shah, a local, told The Wire that the Amarnath Yatra provides important seasonal employment for Kashmiris. Shop owners and traders set up kiosks in various areas to sell walking sticks, puja items, Kashmiri shawls and handicrafts. Additionally, some individuals provide their services to pull palanquins with their ponies to carry devotees,” he added.
Police alleges fake news
While coming heavily on the local media, Balwal told The Wire that a few local news agencies in Kashmir carried fake news regarding the closing down of shops in the Srinagar district, though all shops are open.
The police said that no shops except a “dozen or more” mechanical and scrap shops inside the yatra campus are closed in the Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar.
“There is a story going in certain groups that shops are closed in Panthachowk, it is clarified that all shops are completely open in the whole of Srinagar district including in Panthachowk, except about a dozen or more mechanical/scrap shops inside yatra camp campus,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
“These shop owners were asked to get the verification done and operate the shops, but instead of doing this they opted to protest under influence of some vested interests,” the police said.
Pilgrims on the Amarnath Yatra. Photo: Hamid Khan
“We request Media house to get confirmation from Administration before doing sweeping stories on such sensitive matters during yatra period which can be used by subversive elements to peddle fake narratives,” SSP Srinagar said in a statement.
Balwal further said that every now and then, terrorist organisations like The Resistance Front (TRF) issue threatening statements against the yatra. “So for that purpose and security-related concerns, the verification is being done of these shopkeepers. We are closely monitoring the situation. We have talked to these shopkeepers, and most of them have done verification. It’s not a big issue,” Balwal told The Wire.
Another local shopkeeper, Ghulam Nabi (name changed), told The Wire that he didn’t receive any official order from higher-ups about the closing down of shops. “For the last four days, we have been submitting the verification forms to the police station, but our shops are still closed,” Nabi said.
Amarnath Yatra always challenges the security grid
As two Lashkar-e-Tayyabba (LeT) militants were killed by police and security personnel on Wednesday, June 30, in the Kulgam area of south Kashmir, 500 militants have now been killed in the past 2.5 years, according to police.
“Counter-terror operations will simultaneously continue in all three regions of Kashmir, especially against the foreign terrorists,” said Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range.
Kumar has been at the forefront of anti-terror operations.
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On being asked about challenges regarding the biggest ever Amarnath Yatra, Balwal told The Wire that some Pakistan-based handlers are issuing threatening statements against the yatra every day.
“It is our job to ensure the safety and security of the yatra and others. So specific verification is being done on these shopkeepers on security-related issues. We want to check the family backgrounds, and those whose family members are involved in any militant-related activities, we will keep a tight vigil on them,” Balwal told The Wire.
Providing an alternative view, Mehbooba tweeted that despite stringent security measures including shutting down of shops, it is the Kashmiris who provide a real sense of security to the yatris.
Top political figures from various parties expressed their support for the smooth operation of the Amarnath pilgrimage. The matter was discussed during a meeting on Wednesday at Srinagar’s Raj Bhavan. Among those present at the meeting were former chief minister and MP Farooq Abdullah and Muzaffar Baig.
Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha tweeted, “Met representatives of political parties & discussed arrangements and management of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. The sacred pilgrimage strengthens our faith in the goodness of mankind & its successful conduct is the responsibility of every citizen of J&K UT.”
Irshad Hussain is an independent journalist based in Srinagar. He tweets at @Irshad55hussain
