A tender notice issued by the Jammu & Kashmir State Cable car corporation ltd to carry out civil works at the Shahabad station of Jammu Ropeway project near historic Bahu Fort has apparently touched a raw nerve of local residents and some Opposition parties including Congress and J&K National Panthers Party.
From social media to various other forums, the issue of renaming Jammu’s historic and ancient Bahu Fort area to Shahbad station in the Ropeway project has triggered strong reactions especially against the ruling alliance partners BJP-PDP.
Bahu Fort, which houses the shrine of Bawe Wali Mata, has religious importance and is directly attached to the sentiments of people. The prestigious cable car project was conceived to tap the tourism potential of Jammu.
At the time of foundation laying ceremony in February 2014 by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah the issue had sparked off a debate over the issue of including name of Shahabad colony in the title of the prestigious project.
The foundation stone had clearly mentioned name of Shahabad colony. Interestingly, Congress party — an alliance partner in Omar Abdullah led State Government had remained mute spectator and had not raised any hue and cry.
Facing criticism from different quarters including Bharatiya Janta Party, a opposition party at that time, the State Government had issued a clarification saying that the name of the cable car project was “Peer Kho to Bahu Fort”. They had said the takeoff point would be near the Peer Kho shrine and the landing point would be near Bahu Fort.
However, after the latest tender notice was published in the local media fresh apprehensions were raised over the issue of changing the nomenclature of the project.
Convener of Jammu for India and former HoD, History department of Jammu University Prof Hari Om told The Pioneer, “by renaming our Jammu’s historic and ancient Bahu Fort as Shahabad, the PDP-BJP Government has not only outraged the religious sensitivities of Hindus across the nation, but also taken yet another step towards Islamisation of Jammu. let’s all oppose the PDP-BJP Government’s religious policy aimed at converting Jammu into Kashmir.”
Prof Hari Om claimed, “It is ironical that the name of Bahu Fort no more exists in the official records of the cable car project as it has now been named “Shahabad Station”.