Jammu: The Amarnath Yatra Action Committee (AYAC) today (Jul 1, 2004) flagged off the first batch of yatra for Pahalgam from Jammu this morning.

About 85 people, including 77 sadhus left in three vehicles from Ranbishwar Temple at Shalamar chowk around 0900 hours (IST) this morning.

They were given a warm send-off by over a thousand people amid slogans of "jai bhole baba nath."

AYAC had in a meeting yesterday (Jun 30, 2004) rejected the State Government's decision to extend the Amarnath yatra to 45 days and declared that it would go ahead with its schedule of yatra for Pahalgam today.

The action committee chairman, Ramakant Dubey is leading today's batch which will participate in Bhoomi and Dhwaj puja at Pahalgam tomorrow (Jul 2, 2004).

The committee is determined to continue the yatra for two months as per programme and in case Government tries to impose restrictions or creates hurdle in its way. "We will launch an agitation," said Dubey, who is also president of State VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) said.

AYAC convenor I J Khajuria said that the committee is not a party to the compromise formula reached between the Governor, who is also the chairman of the Amarnath shrine board and the Chief Minister.

"Such a move defeats the very objective of the demand of commencement of yatra on Vyas Purnima falling tomorrow," Khajuria said adding that if yatra could be advanced from July 29 to July 12 or 15, why it could not be advanced to July 2 to fulfill the religious aspirations of the Hindus.