It’s question of modalities for providing facilities for pilgrims: PM

PM is understood to have the all-party meeting called by him that it was now a question of ‘modalities’ over providing facilities to Amarnath pilgrims.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have the all-party meeting called by him on Wednesday that it was now a question of “modalities” over providing facilities to Amarnath pilgrims, a point interpreted by BJP as compulsion on the part of the government to address the Jammu agitators on Amarnath land transfer issue.

The Prime Minister ended his speech in the all-party meeting with the words ‘facilities have to be provided, only the modalities have to be worked out’, BJP sources said.

This shows that even the government understands that the current situation in Jammu demands bowing to some of the demands of the agitators, said a senior MP who attended the meeting.

Story continues below this ad

The meeting, though held in a cordial atmosphere, witnessed the cornering of BJP which has been accused of inflaming the sentiments of the people of Jammu.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in her address, said there was an urgent need to bring the situation back to normal and all the more so as Jammu and Kashmir was a border state.

Political parties from the troubled state put across their points of view. NC leader Farooq Abdullah said that with the situation worsening, soon he would need a visa to go to Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said BJP’s Arun Jaitley rebuffed him saying the issue had been clinched by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee when he successfully agitated for it decades ago.

SC on Waqf Act: Stay on clause that creator has to be practising Islam for 5 yrs

India32 min ago

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, provision requiring registration of Waqf by user, but paused the clause that states a person must be a practitioner of Islam for five years to create a Waqf until state governments frame relevant rules.

View all shorts

Live Blog