Aday after activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad courted arrest along with several hundred pilgrims in Jammu, pressure seems to be building upon Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) and the Jammu & Kashmir Government to control damage before the situation gets out of hand. On Monday, a large number of pilgrims and BJP workers staged demonstrations and shouted anti-Government slogans. The agitated pilgrims also burnt an effigy of Governor NN Vohra before courting arrest. BJP MPs Tarun Vijay and JP Nadda led protests. Both MPs warned the J&K coalition against playing with fire. "Countrymen will take to streets if the shrine board and State failed to acknowledge sentiments of the devotees of Lord Shiva by not enhancing duration of the yatra period," Vijay told mediapersons after courting arrest. Reacting to reports of continued protests, both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar appealed against agitatation, clarifying that the yatra dates had been finalised keeping in mind hostile weather conditions. Abdullah wrote on his micro-blogging site, "The dates of the yatra are determined by SASB, not by the State Government," in response to the question. Abdullah wrote, "I wish the organisers of what is happening in Jammu would take up our offer and fly over the route in a helicopter to see the extent of snow." VHP leaders had earlier turned down the offer of aerial survey. Instead, they sought permission to send a group of volunteers on foot for an onthe- spot survey. Ravi Shankar also appealed, writing, "We will have 60 days' yatra next year," on his site. Ravi Shankar, who heads the committee to decide yatra dates, clarified, "We could not risk the lives of thousands. The date was decided after studying all records and consulting all stakeholders." Meanwhile, Navin K Choudhary, SASB chief executive officer, on Monday performed a puja to mark Jyestha Purnima at Chandanwari, one of the base camps on the traditional Pahalgam-Holy Cave track. In Jammu, VHP spokesman Surendra Jain said, "The puja performed by the SASB CEO is illegal and we do not accept it
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