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| Protest against GREF continues, Kishtwar observed strike | | Bar, traders association, civil society organizations support agitating youth | |  Asif Iqbal Naik
Kishtwar, May 6: The agitation launched by the locals led by Sarpanch Ajeet Kumar and youth activist Shashi Badyal against General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) over their failure in maintenance of 4 KM road stretch that passes from Malipath to 9 sector RR Kishtwar enter 2nd day today as majority of the area in Kishtwar town and its peripheries observed complete shutdown on the call given by the Sarpanch Ajeet Kumar and others. Chorus for CBI inquiry against GREF has also increased as people demanded thorough probe against the central agency.
Like yesterday, the large number of protesters from village Kuleed, Zelna, Wassar, Bherwar and other areas assembled at Kuleed Chowk Kishtwar in wee hours of the morning and block the vehicular movement throughout day today. As the protest was going on at Kuleed chowk, the business community shut their business activities and closes their shops in support of the genuine demand raised by the agitating people. Soon the protest spread over to other parts of the town and its adjoining areas and people belongs to areas like Hidyal Chowk, Dak Banglow Chowk, Sarkoot, Giri Nagar, Zelna, Wassar & other areas erected the barricades and block the roads leading to different areas of the District. The agitating people were raising slogans against GREF and R & B Deptt demanding immediate black topping of city and its adjoining areas roads including Kishtwar-Sarkoot-Poochal road, Bandrina-Hullar-Puhie road, Hidyal Chowk-Tund road, Kishtwar circular road, Kishtwar-Semna colony and other important roads.
As the protest continued, DC Kishtwar Mohammad Javed Khan after feeling heat of the protest for the first time in the last two days personally approach the agitating people sitting on protest at Kuleed Chowk, but the angry protestors refuse to budge and out rightly rejected the DC’s offer of two week time for starting black topping. The protestors force DC Kishtwar and Officiating Commandant (OC) 118 RCC GREF to leave the spot. As the day progress the effect of the Kishtwar bandh was clearly seen that led to chaos within the administration and government from top to bottom level. The administration soon started using back channel diplomacy by using help of various political parties to motivate the agitating people and later also held a meeting with all party leaders and social activists at DC Office meeting hall. During the course of the meeting DC Kishtwar briefed the participants about the steps taken by the administration to defuse the tension. Even though all the participants assured full cooperation to administration in maintaining peace, but suggested the administration to hold direct talks with the agitating people. Even National Conference District Youth President Imtiyaz Zarger participated in sit in protest outside DC Office Kishtwar along with other political & non political activists including Anil Parihar, Ajaiz Naik, Syed Ahmed Shah and others wherein hundreds of people joined them. Later at the end of the day the agitating people announced that the protest will continue tomorrow and also announced Kishtwar bandh. Local Sarpanch Ajeet Kumar heading the protest also announced that he will sit on hunger strike from tomorrow in case the demand of immediate black topping and construction of proper drainage could not be agreed.
While talking to media persons, Ajeet Kumar said that government has spend over 1000 crores on construction of Batote-Kishtwar-Sinthan and Kishtwar-Padder-Himachal National Highway through GREF and added that majority of the said amount was misused by the GREF authorities. He said that despite spending such huge amount, the roads constructed by the GREF continues is in worst condition and behave like death trap resulted into the killing hundreds of people every year in accidents. He also demanded CBI inquiry into the allegation of embezzlement surfaced against the GREF in recent years.
Meanwhile Bar Association Kishtwar also extended its support to Kishtwar bandh call. As soon as the court opened, the Bar Association Kishtwar members held a meeting of its office bearer wherein they unanimously decided to extend its support to the genuine issue raised by the agitating people. Traders Association Kishtwar also extended its full support to the ongoing agitation. President Traders Association Kishtwar Bushan Kumar while briefing media person said that association is ready to support the agitating people up to any extent till the achievements of the desired results.
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