Separatists’ strike disrupts normal life in valley
Srinagar, Sep 17: Normal life was affected in the Kashmir Valley Monday due to a strike called by separatists to protest the recent killing of a civilian and five militants in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut here in Srinagar city. Public transport also remained was off the roads, though private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws were seen plying in many areas of the city.
Roadside vendors, particularly in the uptown areas, went about their business as usual.
Private educational institutions were also closed for the day in the city.
They said similar reports were received from other district headquarters of the Valley.
The separatists had Saturday asked people to observe a strike today against the killing of a civilian – Rouf Ahmad – in government forces’ action on protestors during clashes in the aftermath of an encounter in which five militants were killed in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
Authorities had imposed restrictions under Section 144 CrPc in Nowhatta police station area of the city while police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength at sensitive areas of the city and elsewhere in the Valley to avoid any law and order problems.
JRL reiterates call for boycott of Panchayat, ULB elections
Srinagar, Sep 17: Joint Resistance Leaders (JRL) on Monday reiterated the call for boycott of upcoming Panchayat and municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which they termed as a “political gimmick to hoodwink international community”.
JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik while rejecting any electoral process as a substitute to right to self-determination, made a fervent appeal to the “freedom-loving people of Kashmir to observe complete election boycott of the upcoming municipal and local bodies elections in the Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Urging the people to rise to the occasion to disprove any Indian writ on the ground in the shape of peoples support,” the JRL termed the “election drama as a political gimmick to hoodwink the International community that the people of Kashmir enjoy Indian democracy freely.”
“The highest per capita military power used in Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the paramilitary and state police forces to conduct elections, speaks volumes about their civil liberty and other political and social rights of the people,” JRL said in a statement.
Referring to the election history of the state, the JRL said that in 1953, when the “so-called constituent assembly” was created, all the 76 MLAs were elected unopposed and the people remained aloof from any voting process.
The JRL termed the “much-hyped elections as a bait to lure the pro-Indian politicians’ acting agents to change the demography and state subject laws and to exploit the economic benefits of the state.”
Paying tributes to the Imam Hussain (RA), the JRL termed his sacrifice as a symbol of bravery to fight tyranny and subjugation. He taught us to differentiate between right and wrong and stand by the right, come what may, they said.
The JRL appealed for maintaining the unity and brotherhood at all costs.
The JRL also appealed the Imams and preachers belonging to Shia and Sunni schools of thought, to shoulder their responsibilities to maintain unity and brotherhood at all levels.
