The separatist sponsored strike call on the anniversary of historic landing of Indian troops in Kashmir evoked a mixed response in Kashmir Valley on Sunday unlike in the immediate past when entire Valley used to observe shutdown and blackout on this day.
The Army celebrates the day as Infantry Day to commemorate the landing of first infantry brigade in Srinagar, which changed the course of history in the region.
The Indian Army landed in Kashmir after the then feudal ruler Maharaja Hari Singh sought help to push back Pakistani tribesmen who had captured a vast north Kashmir area and were knocking at the doors of capital Srinagar.
Separatists say that landing of Indian troops resulted into Kashmir’s “forcible accession” to Indian Union while the Army celebrates the day and pays tributes to the soldiers who fought the Pakistani raiders. Kashmir’s first post-partition Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah also endorsed the landing of Indian Army and backed Kashmir accession with India.
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and a battery of other separatist groups had called for a complete shutdown on Sunday. Even as normal life went out of gear in old parts of Srinagar, the Civil lines areas were abuzz with activity as hordes of people thronged weekly makeshift market along the Residency Road for shopping. Despite Sunday, many shops were open in uptown areas and traffic plied normally.
However, a complete shutdown was observed in Old City where transport remained off the roads and all shops were closed. The annual Class VIII examinations, conducted by the State Institute of Education, were not hampered in any part of the Valley.
Hundreds of policemen in riot gear were deployed in the sensitive areas in Srinagar and other towns to thwart any possible protests. However, scores of youth resorted to stone pelting on police and CRPF personnel near Shiraz Cinemain Khanyar pocket of Srinagar. The CRPF personnel used force to chase away the stone-pelters.
Reports said that normal life was affected in Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts of south Kashmir. However, private transport was seen plying on the roads. Shops, and other business institutions remained closed.
Incidents of stone-pelting were also reported from north Kashmir’s Baramulla town. Reacting on the poor response to the shutdown call, hardline woman separatist Aasiya Andrabi, who heads the pro-Pakistan Dukhtaran-e-Millat group blamed the separatist leadership for failing to “deliver goods”.
She told a local news agency that Hurriyat Conference has turned into a “flop show” as separatist leadership has lost agenda and direction.Meanwhile, a defence spokesman said that Infantry Day was celebrated at XV Corps headquarter in Srinagar where large number of officers, Junior Commissioned Officers, Jawans and the families paid homage to the infantrymen who laid down their lives for their motherland.
Corps Commander lt Gen Gurmit Singh asked the soldiers to keep themselves abreast with the existing environment prevailing and be prepared to meet any future challenges. “The day is celebrated to commemorate the heroic action on October 27, 1947 when the first Indian Army contingent was airlifted into Srinagar to defend India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the sacrifices made by the people to uphold their honour and dignity”, spokesman said.