Protest, celebrations in J&K
SRINAGAR: On the second anniversary of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Decl aration (PAGD) Thursday expressed concern over the situation in J&K and resolved to continue the struggle for the restoration the “legitimate rights” of its people.The central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, however, said the decision has brought positives changes in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Gupkar alliance held a meeting of its constituents at its chairman and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s residence in Gupkar area here.The meeting was attended by the PAGD’s vice-chairperson and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, its spokesperson and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami and senior vice-president of Awami National Conference Muzaffar Shah. Speaking to reporters outside Abdullah’s residence, Tarigami said the alliance “reiterated our resolve to continue our struggle for restoration our legitimate rights”.
“Despite tall claims of the government, the situation since August 5, 2019 is worsening day by day,” he said.
The alliance spokesperson asked where was the investment and employment opportunities the Centre claimed the revocation of J&K’s special status will bring. Mehbooba Mufti,too, led a protest march on the city’s Residency road to condemn the August 5, 2019, move. “No words or pictures are enough to depict the pain, torment & upheaval
inflicted upon J&K on this black day two years ago. When unbridled oppression is unleashed & gross injustice heaped there is no other choice but to resist, to exist,” she said in a tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, said the abrogation has brought “unprecedented peace and progress” in Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP’s J&K unit, too, celebrated the day by holding Tiranga rallies and hoisting the national flag across the region.
The Shiv Sena unit of J&K, led by its president Manish, also took out a Triranga rally in Jammu, chanting slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.Hundreds of extra police and troops were deployed in Srinagar as separatist groups called for a shutdown to mark a “black day”.