The annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath from Jammu to Srinagar was suspended on Wednesday due to a landslide on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district, officials said. Meanwhile, the Yatra will also be suspended from the Pantha Chowk yatra base camp to Jammu and it will be resumed after the road national highway is clear for traffic movement. Jammu and Kashmir traffic police said that Jammu-Srinagar NHW is blocked due landslide at T2 Marog Ramban.

“Jammu-Srinagar NHW is blocked due to landslide at T2 Marog Ramban. People are advised not to travel on NH-44 without confirmation from TCUs (Traffic Control Unit),” J-K traffic police said. The 62-day-long Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 1 will culminate on August 31, 2023. Earlier, the Additional Director General of Police of Jammu Zone and the Divisional Commissioner Jammu on Friday took stock of the security arrangements for Independence Day celebrations and Budda Amarnath Yatra, which will begin on August 17.

“The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and DIG Rajouri Poonch Range Haseeb Mughal convened a security review meeting with the Police and Civil administration and took stock of the security scenario in wake of forthcoming Independence Day Celebration and Budda Amarnath Yatra which commences from 17th August 2023,” said a statement of the Jammu and Kashmir police.

The ADGP Jammu and the Divisional Commissioner were briefed about the security and other related issues by SSP Poonch Vinay Kumar and DC Poonch Yaseen Mohd Choudhary. Later, the ADGP Jammu and Divisional Commissioner convened a meeting with the civil society members of Poonch. Prominent lawyers and elected representatives participated in the meeting. All the speakers apprised the officers of all the cooperation for the smooth Independence Day celebrations and peaceful conduct of the yatra.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the Supreme Court was the only institution left in the country that can ensure that India is governed as per its Constitution. Her remarks came as the Supreme Court commenced hearing on the petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing media persons at the PDP office here, she said the entire world was watching the proceedings before the Supreme Court.

“Entire world is watching Supreme Court proceedings in Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir, despite being a Muslim-majority state, rejected the two-nation theory based on religion and joined hands with India. We were granted assurances under the Constitution. These guarantees were not given by China, Pakistan or any neighbouring country,” the former chief minister said. “The Supreme Court will have to see how the institutions in the country have been subverted and the apex court remains the only institution that can save the Constitution. BJP is not only playing with the Constitution based on its brute majority in Parliament but ignoring everything including the SC rulings. They brought an ordinance after SC ruling on Delhi which is unconstitutional,” she added.

Mehbooba draws parallels between Article 370 and the Emergency of 1975

Mehbooba said the Supreme Court will have to take a bold stand for upholding the majesty of the Constitution. “The Supreme Court is the only institution left that can save the Constitution and the country. The question is ‘are you ready to take risks’? Is the Supreme Court ready to take risks like the Allahabad High Court did at the time of Indira Gandhi (in 1975)?” she asked. She was referring to the June 12, 1975, verdict delivered by Justice Jagmohanlal Singh of the Allahabad High Court that had convicted the then prime minister of electoral malpractices.

On the Article 370 petitions, the PDP president said the apex court has to decide between the Constitution and BJP’s agenda. “There are only two sides — either you are with the Constitution of India and the guarantees given to people of Jammu and Kashmir or against India. I am talking about the country, not the opposition alliance. “The SC has to decide whether this country will be run as per the Constitution of India or as per the communal agenda of BJP, ” she said. “They are trying to replicate Manipur situation in the entire country,” she alleged.