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| Green flags, secessionist slogans rock Srinagar | | New Delhi says, nothing unusual | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Aug 22
An estimated more than one lakh people today gathered at Idgah ground of Srinagar raising separatists and secessionist slogans even as government of India played down the development describing the gathering as nothing unusual.
Green flags fluttered all around in Srinagar and thousands of people raised ‘pro-independence’ and ‘pro-azadi’ slogans. The Government of India, however, said that its main concern was that nothing untoward should happen in the rally.
Reports reaching here from New Delhi said that the Centre played down the huge turnout at the rally convened by separatists in Srinagar today saying there was nothing new in it and expressed relief that no major incident was reported from Kashmir Valley.
"There was nothing new" in holding such agitations", senior officials of Union Home Ministry told reporters in New Delhi.
"No major incident was reported from the valley. There was a gathering which passed off peacefully," they said when asked questions about anti-India slogans raised at the rally.
"For us, the law and order is priority and the day passed off peacefully," they said.
Pressed further whether such rallies will continue to be allowed as the separatists would be taking out a silent march again on Monday, the officials shot back "we cannot precipitate the issue further. We cannot use force against them."
The officials claimed that majority of the people were out because of the fear of gun but chose to remain silent to another question as to what was the government was doing to remove such fears.
Asked whether the situation was slipping out of hands of the government, they said the situation was being monitored closely and action would be taken as and when required.
Reports from Srinagar said, tens of thousands of people had assembled at the Eidgah ground in downtown Srinagar to participate in the rally organised by the separatists' Coordination Committee spearheading the agitation in the Valley.
After weeks of violence, Kashmir was by and large peaceful in the last three days when the committee had suspended the stir. The Mirwaiz, who is member of the Committee, said the separatist leadership will stage a silent sit-in at Lal Chowk in the heart of the city on Monday.
"People have given their verdict by turning out in hundreds of thousands over the past weeks. They want freedom," the Miraiz said.
The Hurriyat Chairman said India must accept the ground realities and start a process for resolution of Kashmir issue with the involvement of Pakistan and representatives of the people of the state. |
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