After the gap of two years, the 43-day Amaranath Yatra to an ice stalagmite in a cave in the Himalayas has begun amid tight security. The yatra passes through mountains, meadows and forests, and is dotted with sand-bagged security bunkers, sharpshooters and drones. The pilgrimage is taking place amid tensions in the disputed regions of Kashmir which has recently been rattled by a spate of targeted attacks on local Hindus, known as Pandits, and non-residents from other parts of India.
The Indian security forces have intensified their counter insurgency operations, killing more than 100 suspected rebels this year, nearly 30 in this month alone. The last Amarnath yatra was cancelled on August 5, 2019, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the region of its limited autonomy and brought it under New Delhi’s direct control, triggering the current wave of anger and violence in the valley.
For 75 years, Kashmir valley has witnessed tensions between India and Pakistan. The two nuclear powers have fought two of their three full-scale wars over the territory. This year, some rebel groups have warned of targeting the pilgrimage, accusing the government of “politicizing the pilgrimage” amid rising anti- Muslim sentiment in the country. To prevent such attacks, authorities have implemented a five-tier security arrangement, using drones and radio frequency identification (RFID) to track every pilgrim entering the region.
While a heavy military presence during the pilgrimage is a routine affair, officials say the threat perception is higher this year due to threats of attacks by armed rebel groups fighting since 1989 for an independent country or the region’s merger with neighbouring Pakistan.
A Kashmiri political expert who did not want to be identified fearing reprisals from the government said there is “scepticism” among residents about the way the BJP government is promoting the Amarnath pilgrimage. “No one asks the government to lower its guard but the natives should not be held hostage to the pilgrimage,” he said.
