The one-man judicial commission probing the alleged installation of an artificial Shiv Lingam at the Amarnath cave shrine, has given a clean chit to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, saying there was no tampering of any nature.
In a 90-page report submitted to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha, Justice (Retd) K K Gupta observed, 'We see no hand of any official of the shrine board in formation of the snow Shiv Lingam or tampering of the natural ice Shiv Lingam, which in fact had not been tampered with during the yatra period announced by SASB'.
'No tampering of any nature with the holy Shiv Lingam took place', the one-man commission said.
From all the facts, the commission concluded that during the period when SASB functionaries started their activities relating to this year's yatra, they took quick action in finding out the reasons for non-formation of the lingam till May 16, 2006.
The Gupta Commission observed that on May 19, 2006, the team found water trickling from the roof of the cave, which resulted in formation of the Shiv Lingam in the first week of June.
'Some religious scholars who have appeared before us or otherwise, while justifying the natural process of formation of Shiv Lingam and thereafter its melting, have stated that nobody should be allowed to comment or raise controversy on suchlike religious matters, which shakes the faith of devotees and, according to them, this is a divine control phenomena and human intervention should not be tolerated', the commission said.
On June 10, some Amarnath yatris staged protests at Baltal base camp accusing the SASB of playing with the sentiments of the devotees by installing a snow-stupa in place of the naturally-formed staglamite.
'In this respect, we would only like to remark that India is a democratic country and everybody has the right as permitted by our Constitution, to raise any type of controversy but at the same time we put a note of caution here that divine and religious matters are not within the scope of mischievous and misguided elements, whosoever they may be,' the Gupta commission noted.
It is also on record with us that such controversies have been raised simply to sabotage the yatra and malign the image of SASB, the report elaborates.
The Governor, in his capacity as chairman of the board, constituted the commission on June 29 to inquire into the complaints of tampering with the size and shape of the ice lingam at the cave shrine.
Allegations were also made against SASB about levying unjustified charges on pony operators, labourers, tent shopowners and langar organisations.
Initially, the report had to be submitted in a month's time but at the request of the commission, it was extended by another month.
However, the commission presented its report three days ahead of its extended term.
On the procurement of dry snow, the commission referred to opinion sought from experts and observed 'as reported in various sections of media that dry ice was brought and used for the purpose of forming of artificial lingam, seems to be a misconcept(ion) because of ignorance of the term dry ice'.
Some mischievous elements had even gone to the extent of floating rumours that lakhs and lakhs of rupees were spent for procuring dry ice for formation of artificial lingam when such type of ice was available round the nearby glaciers.
It is nothing but absurd remarks, the commission said.
The commissions said the dry ice was purchased for Rs 85,248. It is, however, a fact that snow/ice is available in huge quantities near the holy cave and in case artificial Shiv Lingam was to be created the same could have been piled there. But in fact, dry ice was brought from Delhi to keep the area cool and not for forming artificial Shiv Lingam.