Jammu: A video showing a group of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims chanting religious slogans at women wearing hijabs and burqas in Kashmir has gone viral on social media, drawing criticism and triggering a debate over respecting local sensitivities during the annual pilgrimage.
The video shows men travelling in a bus to the Amarnath shrine leaning out of the vehicle after spotting women in hijabs and burqas, chanting "Har Har Mahadev" in their direction.
One of the men is also seen waving at local residents while shouting the slogans at groups of women and little girls wearing head coverings.
Reacting to the viral video, Congress leader Pawan Khera shared it on X, questioning the conduct of the pilgrims.
"What could be more absurd than chanting Har Har Mahadev slogans right in front of little girls wearing hijabs on the streets of Kashmir?" he wrote.
Khera said that while undertaking the Amarnath Yatra is every Hindu's right, it is "equally a great duty" to respect the sentiments of the people of the region and local sensitivities.
"This is the path of Mahadev," he said.
"The truth is that we talk about religion day and night, but forget its principles first and foremost. Perhaps this is what they call Kaliyug (Age of Darkness in Hinduism)," he added.
The incident comes as the annual pilgrimage continues with large participation from devotees across the country.
More than 3.25 lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine so far.
Meanwhile, the 15th batch of pilgrims departed from Jammu on Thursday for the twin base camps in Kashmir.
The fresh batch comprised 5,201 pilgrims, including 92 sadhus, nine sadhvis, 3,970 men, 1,124 women, five children and one transperson. They travelled in a convoy of 251 vehicles under the security cover of the CRPF and the police.
Officials said the convoy left in two groups. The Baltal-bound convoy, carrying 1,745 pilgrims in 74 vehicles, departed at 3 a.m., while the Pahalgam-bound convoy, with 3,456 pilgrims in 177 vehicles, left at 3.30 a.m.
With Thursday's departure, a total of 1,04,488 pilgrims have left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for Kashmir since the yatra began on July 2.
The base camp resonated with chants of "Bam Bam Bhole", "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Barfani Baba Ki" as devotees set out for the pilgrimage. Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.
The 57-day annual Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28.