Srinagar, August 1: A joint rally of several trade bodies and civil society groups was taken out on Wednesday here to protest alleged attempts to abolish Article 35(A).
Holding banners and placards which read “dismiss the petition, protection of Article 35(A) our prime duty” members of trade bodies and civil society groups this afternoon assembled at Bund side and later marched towards Press enclave here to register their protest.
The protest march was taken out on the call of Kashmir Inc which claimed to have support of twenty seven different trade and civil society groups.
Protesters pledged to make ‘any sacrifice’ to protect Article 35(A), saying they won’t allow anyone to snatch special rights extended to Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian constitution.
They said the right wing RSS backed NGO filed the PIL challenging Article 35(A) with intensions to dilute special status of the state in the Supreme Court.
Kashmir Centre for Social and Developmental Studies (KSCDS), Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), Batamaloo Traders Association and several other business groups participated in the joint protest.
Talking to media at Press Enclave, Mubeen Shah a senior KCCI member while pledging to sacrifice their lives for the protection of Article 35(A) said people will hit streets in case any attempt was made to dilute special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
He reiterated that the situation in Kashmir will deteriorate incase the Supreme Court dilutes or makes any amendment in the said Article. The marchers later dispersed off peacefully.
