Separatists' strike call throws lives out of gear, SC to hear plea to scrap spl privileges to J&K natives today
Normal life in Kashmir was crippled on Sunday in response to separatists’ two-day shutdown call ahead of a crucial hearing in the Supreme Court on a petition which seeks to abrogate the Article 35A of the Constitution of India. Article Article 35A, incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, confers special status to permanent residents of Jammu & Kashmir.
The regional mainstream political parties, including the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have joined the protests.
A high-level team of Kashmir High Court Bar Association led by its president Mian Abdul Qayoon has arrived in New Delhi to defend Article 35A. A right-wing backed NGO “We the Citizens” has challenged the validity of the Article that reserves the property rights in the embattled State to the permanent residents and bars its transfer to residents of other States. The State Government employees have decided to go on a mass protest leave on Monday.
All shops, business establishments and fuel stations remained closed while public transport was off the roads. Very few private vehicles plied on some roads in capital Srinagar where most of people preferred to remain indoors.
The Joint Resistance leadership (JRl), comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, had called for a complete shutdown on Sunday and Monday.
Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in all sensitive areas in the Valley, including the capital city.
Train services were suspended across Kashmir between Banihal and Baramulla on Sunday. The shutdown had maximum impact in south Kashmir region where five lashkar-e-Tayyeba terrorists and a civilian were shot dead by security forces in Kiloora and Ganawpora villages of Shopian district. The internet services have been suspended in the southern pockets.
Meanwhile, members of various trade, industries and transport organisations held a peaceful protest in Srinagar against the plea to abrogate Article 35A.
Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid had announced the authorities would allow peaceful protests on the issue.
Traders, including Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and Federation Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Kashmir (FCIK), assembled in a peaceful sit-in near Ghanta Ghar in lal Chowk holding placards and banners and registered their protest against attempts to scrap Article 35A.
The authorities have put Geelani and Mirwaiz under house arrest while several other leaders and activists have been taken into custody. Yasin Malik’s residence was raided but he managed to evade arrest and has been untraceable since Saturday.
The State administration has already pleaded for the deferment of the hearing in view of the upcoming panchayat and urban local bodies polls. The administration through its counsel Shoab Alam has pleaded with Registrar of the apex court to defer the hearing.
Meanwhile, media reports quoting intelligence reports have said the authorities have been warned of a possible “revolt” in police ranks and massive unrest in Jammu & Kashmir if the Supreme Court passed an “adverse” order on Monday.
Describing the Article 35A as an emotive issue, DGP Vaid hoped the State Government’s request for delaying the hearing would be accepted by the court. The officer exuded confidence that there would be no revolt in police as it was the duty that came first for the force.
“Police officers have a view. I am a resident of Jammu & Kashmir and I am also police officer; I have my own views. But what’s my duty, I will always do first,” Vaid was quoted as saying by NDTV.
“I don’t see any possibility (of revolt). The order of the Supreme Court is respected by all parties and everyone in the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior bureaucrat Shah Faesal, who has the distinction of being first Kashmiri to top the prestigious civil services examination in 2009, said repealing Article 35A was akin to snapping the relationship between J&K and the Union of India. In a Facebook post, Faesal, who is currently pursuing a fellowship in the US, wrote, “History, identity, legality, and propriety aside. I would compare Article 35A to a marriage-deed/nikahnama. You repeal it and the relationship is over. Nothing will remain to be discussed afterwards.”
Faesal was recently in news when the Department of Personal, Government of India, raised objections on his tweets about occurrence of rapes in South Asia.
In another development, the security forces arrested a newly recruited Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist from lolab area of Kupwara district on Sunday.
Security sources said arms and ammunition was recovered from him. However, his identity was not disclosed till now.
Meanwhile, intense clashes broke out between civilian young protesters and security forces after joint forces launched Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) following inputs about the presence of unknown ultras in Khurbatpora village of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
Reports of stone pelting were received while police and paramilitary forces resorted to teargas shelling to quell the protesters. The protesters generally try to disrupt the counter terrorist operation to help ultras escape from the areas where they get trapped. Over a hundred civilian protesters, particularly youngsters, have been killed during clashes with security forces near gunfight sites in the past 18 months.