Srinagar, July 2: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today said this year’s Amarnath Yatra is a statement against terrorism.
“The soul of J&K was wounded in Pahalgam, with the killing of innocent civilians by Pakistani terrorists after identifying their faith. The nation was in shock. Jammu and Kashmir decided to lead the national outrage. Massive protests followed against terrorism. Women stepped out of their homes, ensuring their voices were not lost. The outpouring of emotions, though sudden, was in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism after 2019, and the outcome it delivered for the people, significantly transforming lives and snatching them out of the hands of terror,” LG Sinha wrote in an op-ed piece in the Indian Express.
He said the administration had followed a two-pronged policy — protecting innocent civilians but at the same time ruthlessly targeting terrorists and their supporters. “We prioritised economic growth, infrastructure development, empowerment of the youth and women, incentivised social welfare and social justice to mainstream Jammu and Kashmir towards stability and prosperity — the benefits of democracy the region couldn’t afford due to persistent dark clouds of terror. Post-2019, we have worked hard to establish good governance and a transparent administrative system that encourages speedy implementation of projects,” he said
Over time, the gap between resources and aspirations was bridged to a great extent. This was possible because citizens, irrespective of religion and region, became the fulcrum of policy initiatives. Perhaps, for this reason, Jammu and Kashmir started to figure in different socio-economic growth indices in the last five years. Achievements, especially by the youth, recently, three girls cleared the IIT entrance exam — by themselves, narrate that J&K is realising its potential. The opening of the highest railway bridge at the Chenab River only manifests the UT’s willingness to join the steeplechase for many global firsts, he said.
The overall transformation of the region is also reflected in the way Amarnath Yatra has been organised since 2022, when the pilgrimage began post-COVID. This year, helicopter services have been suspended due to safety concerns. “I urge all pilgrims, including those travelling in private vehicles, to travel only with the convoy from Jammu to the base camps. Last year, more than five lakh devotees paid obeisance at the holy cave. It was the highest Yatra figure in the last 12 years,” he said.
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been hurt by Pakistan’s nefarious design to disturb peace, communal harmony, and growing prosperity in the Union Territory (UT) by carrying out the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. “People are eagerly waiting to extend a warm welcome to pilgrims. The government machinery and security apparatus are prepared to ensure it is incident-free and seekers return home immersed in divine bliss. For me, this pilgrimage has a special alchemy. This spiritual odyssey is overwhelming due to the hypnotic spell of divinity that overcomes fatigued legs and cold-