The government granted a wide area for the use of an important Hindu temple, but then reversed the decision over protests from many Muslims in the state. Extremist Hindu groups are now taking to the streets all over central India.

New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The "extreme protest" proclaimed yesterday by the Hindu nationalists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad is spreading all over central India, to contest the decision of the government of Indian Kashmir to revoke the grant of a large tract of land to the Shree Amarnath Strine Board, a body that oversees a Hindu temple.  Yesterday in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), four people died (two were Muslims) and dozens were wounded and arrested in severe clashes between Muslims and Hindus: the police opened fire and launched tear gas.  In many cities, demonstrators have blocked roads and railways, destroyed vehicles, and forced shops to close.

In the eastern state of Bihar, the extremist Bharatiya Janata Party also proclaimed a one-day strike: demonstrators blocked trains and destroyed vehicles in the capital of Patna, shouting "Kashmir Hamara hai" (Kashmir is ours).  Even in Mumbai, hundreds of demonstrators blocked the highway to the airport, although for less than one hour, while buses were damaged and burned in the city.  Less serious incidents took place in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Assam, and Jharkand.

The government of Kashmir had granted a large tract of land for the construction of facilities for the approximately 500,000 pilgrims who every year visit the area and the shrine of Amarnath - the place where the god Shiva explained to his divine consort Parvati the secret of life and eternity - in order to pray in front of a stalagmite of ice, considered sacred.  Muslims protested in the streets, talking about a "conspiracy" to attract Hindus from other areas into the valley of Kashmir (which has a majority Muslim population). In Jammu (Kashmir), where the majority is Hindu, yesterday thousands took to the streets (in the photo) in spite of the ceasefire, damaging vehicles and shops, and clashing with police.

Hindu extremists say they intend to continue the protests until the government of Kashmir reviews the decision, and their leaders are inciting "the population of Jammu to violate the ceasefire" and take to the streets.  Even if there may be a "truce" during the "Week of pilgrimage to Amarnath", from tomorrow, July 5, until the 12th.

• India
• violent
• protests
• demonstrators
• Hindu
• Muslim
• shrine
• Kashmir
• dead
• wounded