After Amarnath, Machail Yatra suspended in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar

Amid rising tensions in Valley, Machail Yatra to Goddess Durga shrine in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended on Saturday. Earlier, the state administration had asked Amarnath pilgrims and tourists to immediately cut short their stay in the Valley and return as soon as possible in the wake of intelligence inputs of "specific terror threats" to the pilgrimage.

The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party reacted strongly to the security advisory. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the directive would do nothing to dampen the sense of fear that is prevailing in the Valley.

"Although this unprecedented order would seem to suggest a genuine fear of a massive terror strike directed at Amarnath ji yatris or/and tourists this will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear & foreboding that prevails in the valley at the moment," Abdullah said in a series of tweets.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the Centre had resorted to "military might" and techniques like "psychological warfare" in the state. "First the avalanche of private orders about stocking up supplies that somehow made their way into public domain. And now news like this will create panic & distress," Mufti tweeted.

"So far, GOI's resorted to military might & psychological warfare like techniques vis a vis J&K. Neither will work," she added.

Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal asked if the administration was going to issue a separate advisory for the locals of Kashmir.

In a tweet, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also alleged that rumours were being allowed to fester in Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir government asked the Amarnath pilgrims and tourists on Friday to immediately make necessary arrangements to cut short their stay in the Valley and return as soon as possible in the wake of intelligence inputs of "specific terror threats" to the pilgrimage.

"Parliament is in session. Why isn't the PM taking the House into confidence? The panic and rumours allowed to fester in J&K are helping nobody," Yechury said in the tweet.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader also tagged a news report about the security advisory issued by the Jammu and Kashmir government along with his tweet.