To protest against terror attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, the Shiv Sena activists on Friday allegedly burnt a Pakistani flag on the National
Highway 1.
led by Sena’s State vice-president Inderjit Karwal, the protesters began the march from Hanumangarhi temple and came to NH 1, converging at sugar mill crossing.
Sporting Sena’s flags, they allegedly raised slogans against Pakistan and also targeted the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
They allegedly burnt an effigy of the BJP-led NDA Government at sugar mill crossing.
The protesters alleged that Pakistan's ISI was “sponsoring terror attacks” on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir while the Union Government was “soft-pedalling” over it to save the state government in which the BJP was a coalition partner.
“Our army and paramilitary jawans are being targeted by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in order to destabilise India and create a fear psychosis but Modi the Government is doing precious little to control the situation,” Inderjit Karwal alleged.
He claimed that a fear-psychosis was being created ahead of the annual Amarnath yatra. “Amarnath pilgrimage will be held at every cost for which foolproof security arrangements should be made,” he demanded.
Karwal batted for the Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir and also demanded snapping of all ties with Pakistan, including discontinuation of the Indo-Pak bus service.
Meanwhile, Phagwara SP Harwinder Singh Sandhu, who was present at the protest site, said that the agitation had no effect on the movement of Indo-Pak international buses which cross through the town.
“Both the buses from Delhi to lahore and vice-versa had crossed Phagwara smoothly a little before the protest had started,” he said.
Meanwhile, a right-wing outfit in the State also demanded scrapping of Article 370 that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and also called for the country to take the initiative to declare Pakistan a terrorist State.
“Provision of special status to Jammu and Kashmir tantamount to discrimination with other States of the country,” said Punjab Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti president Deepak Bhardwaj on Friday.
He said: “This must be shelved at the earliest by scrapping Article 370 to halt the growing attacks on security forces in J&K.”
Reminding the Modi Government that it had come to power on the agenda of construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhaya, Uniform Civil Code and scrapping of Article 370, Bhardwaj said: “While the first two issues are being addressed, the third issue is being sidelined under the pressure of Mehbooba Mufti’s Government in J&K.”
Demanding continuation of surgical strikes against cross-border terror camps for curbing terrorism, Bhardwaj argued that non-Kashmiris should be allowed to buy property in J&K while the Hindus uprooted from the state should be rehabilitated there for bringing Kashmir into the national mainstream.