Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on late Friday night that "unnecessary panic" was being created by linking the curtailment of Amarnath Yatra with other issues, and requested political leaders to ask their supporters to maintain calm and not believe in "exaggerated rumours".
The Jammu and Kashmir government has now requested the Indian Air Force to airlift the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims out of the Kashmir valley to places such as Jammu, Pathankot or Delhi from where they can go back home, reports said.
- The government order advised tourists and the yatris to curtail their stay in Kashmir and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible
- The yatra had earlier been suspended till 4 August, reportedly due to inclement weather
- The annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high Amarnath cave shrine officially kicked off on 1 July
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Ministry of Civil Aviation Advises Airlines to Rein in Surging Airfare
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has advised airlines to rein in the surging airfare, for pilgrims returning from Amarnath Yatra.
IAF C-17s to Airlift Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims on J&K Govt Request
The Jammu and Kashmir government has requested the Indian Air Force to airlift the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims out of the Kashmir valley to places such as Jammu, Pathankot or Delhi from where they can go back home.
"A request has been received from the state administration for the IAF to carry the pilgrims out of the Kashmir valley in their C-17 transport. The first such sortie of the C-17s is likely to fly out of the Kashmir valley in a couple of hours," government sources told ANI.
The C-17s are already operating to rush in paramilitary troops from different parts of the country for precautionary deployment in the valley.
'No Plans to Abrogate Article 35A of Constitution': J&K Governor
Governor Satya Pal Malik, late on Friday night, met with a delegation of political leaders and reiterated that “there are no plans to abrogate Article 35A of Constitution”, which gives special powers to Jammu and Kashmir.
'Pure Security Measure Being Mixed up with Unrelated Issues': J&K Governor
The delegation of political leaders in the meeting with J&K Governor on late Friday night expressed concerns about "panic situation in Kashmir valley".
The Governor said that "a pure security measure is being mixed up with issues with which it has no connection". He requested the political leaders to ask their supporters not to mix up matters, to maintain calm and not believe exaggerated rumours being circulated.