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| Article 35-A cry reaches Kishtwar, Doda | | | Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, Aug 30: Kishtwar and Doda districts observed a complete shutdown on Thursday over the issue of Article 35-A which is being heard by the Supreme Court on Friday.
A peaceful bandh was observed in Doda and its major towns including Bhaderwah and Gandoh while Kishtwar remained on the edge following a massive protest held by the people over the halting of the ongoing Machail Mata Yatra outside old DC Office Kishtwar. The angry people raised slogans against the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana and SSP Kishtwar Rajinder Gupta for their failure in clearing the road which was blocked by the people at various places in Kishtwar town and its peripheral areas including on Jammu-Kishtwar National Highway.
The protestors led by BJP leader Anil Parihar and Rakesh Kumar raised slogans against DC Kishtwar and Police for allowing free for all situation in the Kishtwar town. The angry protestors were also supported by some Muslims who also called on the authorities and various stake holders to not disturb the Machail Yatries coming from Jammu or leaving from Kishtwar after completion of the Yatra.
Following the massive protest, DC Kishtwar was forced to come out of his office to clear the National Highway and restore the traffic.
Speaking to "Early Times" Anil Parihar said that Article 35 A is a political issue with different parties having different views, and called upon the people not to make it a religious issue.
"The mosques, temples and Gurudwaras should be kept outside these issues. Once we start making announcement from religious places it goes into some different directions" said Parihar. He condemned the hooliganism of some elements who wants to destabilize peace in Kishtwar and also condemned the checking of identity cards of Yatries as well as creating hurdles in smooth transportation of ambulances carrying the patients.
After hectic efforts by the SSP Kishtwar who assured them that henceforth no one will be allowed to block the roads and assured safe passage for the Yatries, they called off the protest.
Earlier all the majority of the areas in Kishtwar observed complete shutdown. The protestors created a blockade at Dak Banglow chowk, Bus Stand, Malipath, Kishtwar junction, Guriyan and at various other places to chock the vehicular movement.
At Kishtwar junction, the protestors used the JCB to put huge boulders and rocks on the road for closing the vehicular movement.
Imam Jamia Masjid Kishtwar toured various areas of Kishtwar town and its adjoining areas and ensured that all the shops were shut. He also reached out to the shopkeepers from Hindu community and requested them to close their shops and informed them that Article 35 A is the identity of all the people of J&K. On the request of the imam, the Hindu community also closed their shops.
As soon as Kishtwar observed complete shutdown, some people associated with a Hindu organization tried to force some shopkeepers of Hindu community to open their shops which lead to verbal spat forcing the police to intervene.
The senior police officers told the shopkeepers to decide at its own will to open or close their shops and that no one can enforce a shutdown.
Lawyers at Kishtwar court also held a peaceful protest and abstained from the courts. Speaking to Early Times, senior lawyers Sheikh Nasir Hussain and Mohammad Hussain Waza said that some vested interests are planning to tinker with the Article 35 A. |
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