Amarnath Yatra 2012: Bajrang Dal team to assess preparations

Jammu: Ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra that begins on June 4, the Bajrang Dal on Thursday said hello will send its team to the cave shrine on May 13 to evaluate the ground situation and size up preparatory measures."We will be sending a team of 100 activists of Bajrang Dal to Baltal base camp to evaluate the ground situation and state of path to cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas on May 13," Dal's regional Co-convener Nand Kishore Mishra said.

He explained the team will camp at Baltal and undertake inspection of the path to the cave shrine, and take part in snow clearance operations to facilitate smooth commencement of the pilgrimage.

Mr Mishra criticised the Amarnath Shrine Board's decision to lessen the number of days of the Yatra citing climatic reasons and accused the board of "misleading" the devotees.

He explained the board had reduced the length of time of the Yatra to 39 from Two months in 2009, 55 days in 2010 and 45 days in 2011.

Terming the move as "anti-religious", Mr Mishra said the decision to lessen the number of days of Yatra to 39 this season will hurt the sentiments of the devotees.

Claiming that the board doesn't have right to decide the date and duration of the Yatra as it is matter of religious gurus, Mr Mishra said Bajrang Dal will protest any proceed to stop its team from undertaking Yatra to the cave shrine.