•Suman K Jha: On the Amarnath issue, the BJP is mobilising support against the state Government’s decision nationwide. It also aspires to be the next government at the Centre. Can a political party with such aspirations afford to alienate an entire state on an issue like this?

Ravi Shankar Prasad: It’s not a question of alienation. In this case, regardless of faith, convenience should be of prime importance and the Government should not have submitted to the separatist forces, the way it did.

Jayanthi Natarajan: The yatra for centuries has been undertaken in a spirit of communal harmony. The Amarnath shrine was discovered by a Muslim shepherd and the family has been engaged in conducting the yatra for decades since. Even today, the J&K Government has taken full responsibility for the logistics, the temporary shelters and pilgrims’ safety. The Amarnath Shrine Board never existed till the NDA government at the Centre and the National Conference government at the state-level created the board making the state Governor in charge of it. That’s when the divisive agenda began. Even today, the land is in the charge of the J&K Tourism department for the yatra. There is no ban on the yatra and yatris continue to come. So it is not a question of surrender.

•Suman K Jha: When we interact with leaders of the Congress and the BJP privately, there is a concurrent concern over the rise of regional parties and the shrinking base of the Congress and the BJP. Also, that regional parties generally fail to take a national perspective. So isn’t there a case for greater understanding between your parties?

... contd.