J&K ex-Governor blames PDP, media roles in Amarnath row

J&K ex-Governor blames PDP, media roles in Amarnath row
Chandigarh (PTI): Former J&K Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha on Sunday took on the PDP for its so-called anti-national role while blaming the media for "misleading and misinforming" the public on the sensitive Amarnath land row.
Alleging that Mufti Mohammed Sayeed was opposed to the length of the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine, Sinha said the former Chief Minister and PDP patron placed prefabricated structures along the Baltal route and continuously resisted his work as chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
In his 90-minute keynote address at a seminar on "Shri Amarnath Land Transfer -- Implications of Revocation" organised here by the Forum on Integrated National Security, Sinha blamed the media, too, for its irresponsible coverage of the issue.
"I can understand the Valley press being prejudiced and engaging in yellow journalism but the national media has been misleading public opinion on this issue which is a matter of great concern," he said.
Sinha said vested interests are trying to portray the decision of land transfer to SASB as one made by him "whereas the truth is that the state cabinet in May this year had unanimously approved of land being given to the Board."
Separatists are whipping up the sentiments of Kashmiri citizens against the transfer, he said, by projecting it as a step to facilitate permanent settlement of Hindus and one that could potentially change the demography of the Valley.
Sinha also blamed the Centre for going into an "overdrive" with its "appeasement policy and hurried revoking of the order."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200808101867.htm