SRINAGAR, INDIA, September 1, 2008: Muslims in Indian Kashmir suspended a two-month long protest caused when the government agreed to temporarily provide land to a Hindu trust managing a key pilgrimage in the Muslim-majority region. Muslims in the Kashmir valley, where the land is located, held huge anti-India demonstrations after state authorities made public their plans in June to donate an area to the trust permanently. The protesters argued the land transfer was being done to change the demographics in the valley but India says it has never encouraged Hindus to settle in the region.
Under the new deal, the 40 hectares (100 acres) of land will be available to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board every year but for temporary facilities only. “The shrine board will now exclusively use the land during the pilgrimage period,” said Leela Karan Sharma, the head of a Hindu group that was leading the protests in Hindu-dominated Jammu. “We are suspending the agitation for now as our main demand has been met.”
“The proprietary status, ownership and title of the land shall not undergo any change,” state negotiator S.S. Bloria stressed. The agreement between the two sides also made it clear that any temporary tents and shops could only be set up by Kashmiris. Kashmiri separatists have rejected the deal. “We reject this deal. But it is not a major issue for us as we are preoccupied with our freedom struggle,” a statement quoted senior separatist Masarat Alam as saying.