‘New Delhi pushing Kashmiri people from frying pan to fire’
Srinagar 04 March : The Kashmir Economic Alliance has called for Kashmir bandh on Tuesday (05 March) against the continued attacks on special status of the Jammu and Kashmir and the ban on Jamaat e Islami.
KEA chairman Mr Haji Muhammad Yasin Khan who also heads the Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) addressing a joint press conference with Federation chamber Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Muhammad Ashraf Mir and All Transport Welfare Association ( Shabir Ahmad, Abdul Majeed, Muhammad Yousef) said New Delhi was pushing the people of Kashmir from “frying pan to fire”.
“From the ban on Jamaat e Islami to the continued and collective attempts being made by the Raj Bhawan and the New Delhi to erode the special status of Jammu and Kashmir through tinkering with of the Article 370 and Article 35A, every sinister effort is being made to further the unrest in Kashmir,” Mr Khan said.
He said the ban on Jamaat had affected socio-humanitarian services in Kashmir to say the least. “While educational and other services as offered by the Jamaat are the first victim, the next target of such forces could be Masjids,” Khan said.
He reminded the government that from many of the senior politicians including former ministers to some top officials in the government, many of such faces were alumni of the Jamaat schools. “That way entire Kashmir needs to be banned,” he ridiculed.
Mr Khan said systematic attempts were being made to revoke Article 35 A and Article 370 that give special status to J&K.
“If these articles are even tinkered with, not only the bond with New Delhi will break but it will also lead to such a fiery situation that no efforts will be able to douse the flames thereafter,” Khan said.
He said the policies of New Delhi since 2016 have only worsened leaving Kashmir on the edge since and situation has failed to improve.
“While the tourism and business are badly affected now the government has attacked the academic activities further by extending winter vacations of students. The government looks unmindful of the loss of academic session the Kashmiri students,” Khan said.
He said there even seems to be conspiracy in the frequent highway blockade that has left over seven million souls in Kashmir starving for essentials. “People of Kashmir are starving and highway continues to be frequently blocked and no requisite stocks of essentials in place. Amid such a crises the government is busy with only such things that can only aggravate the sufferings of the common people.”
Asking the Indian civil society to play their role, Khan said anything worse was expected from New Delhi ahead of the Parliament elections.
He also condemned the uncalled for crackdown on the people and arrest spree.
