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Panther Party chief plans yet another yatra

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Panther Party chief, Professor Bhim Singh, Justice V R Krishna Iyer, Justice Kuldeep Singh, both former judges of the Supreme Court and Dr Mahmood-ur-Rahman, vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, will start their Kargil to Kanyakumari 'Chetna Yatra' on November 19 from Leh in Laddakh. They will be accompanied by 40 volunteers.

The forty-day yatra will cover a distance of 6,681 km and terminate at Kanyakumari on December 31.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah is likely to flag off the yatra in Srinagar, while Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, would see it off from New Delhi.

Bhim Singh denied that they were facing difficulties in getting government clearance for their yatra. "We have spoken to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani about the yatra. But they have not so far responded to our requests. I hope they would take notice of the feelings of the people of India and give us all the assistance to complete the yatra without any hinderance," Bhim Singh told a group of journalists in New Delhi.

He said Vivekanada was the first Indian who had set out on a march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir many decades ago. "It was my desire to achieve the same feat. But under the prevailing circumstances I feel a Kargil to Kanyakumari yatra would more appropriate,'' he added.

''Through this Yatra I want to create awareness among youths about the genesis of the conflict in Jammu and Kashmir which has threatened the peace in the sub-continent and also try to strengthen bonds of love and human compassion,'' he said.

Though Bhim Singh refused to divulge how much the yatra would cost, sources said the expenses could go as high as Rs 10 lakh.

But those who know Bhim Singh are keeping their fingers crossed. He is known for calling off his tours after getting media publicity.

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