JNM journalist Hardeep Jamwal | Jammu
The proposed ropeway project at Katra, the base camp of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, turned the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly into a political arena on Monday. During the budget session, the issue created such a ruckus that the House was virtually paralyzed by sloganeering, accusations, and heated debate.
A fierce confrontation erupted between BJP MLAs and Deputy Chief Minister Surendra Choudhary over the ropeway. Both sides exchanged sharp verbal barbs. While BJP MLAs raised slogans like “mining thieves” and “quit the throne,” the Deputy Chief Minister leveled serious allegations against the BJP for politicizing religious beliefs.
The spark ignited by “walking is our faith”
The issue began with a statement by Bani MLA Rameshwar. During the budget debate, he clearly stated his opposition to the Katra ropeway project because, according to Hindu belief, the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi involves a pilgrimage on foot.
BJP MLA Baldev Sharma stood up and claimed that the ropeway project had received cabinet approval. However, Deputy Chief Minister Surendra Chaudhary immediately refuted this claim, saying, “The cabinet has not approved the ropeway; do not mislead the public.”
The issue of shopkeepers and porters heated up.
During the debate, other MLAs, including BJP’s Narendra Singh, stood up and raised questions about mining. The atmosphere in the House became quite heated.
The Deputy Chief Minister, taking a sharp stance, said, “Stop making money in the name of Mata Vaishno Devi; listen to the people of Katra. The shopkeepers, porters, and local businessmen there are becoming unemployed.”
Accusing the BJP of double standards, he said that the interests of the people of Katra were being trampled under the pretext of the ropeway.
“You are not the contractor of Hinduism.”
During the debate, the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement became more strident. He said, “You cannot become the dictator of Mata Vaishno Devi. We are all Hindus, our faith is also connected. Don’t become the contractor of Hinduism.”
He even said that the BJP wants to suppress the voice of the people of Katra and is destroying their businesses.
Speaker Expresses Displeasure
Amidst the uproar, Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather reprimanded the members, saying that such behavior was only wasting the House’s time.
The Deputy Chief Minister finally dropped a bold statement, saying, “I will reveal who the stone crushers actually belong to.”
After this statement, the uproar in the House intensified.
The Katra ropeway project is no longer just a development issue; it is becoming a major focus of religious faith, local employment, and political conflict.
