No respite for Kashmiris as lockdown enters 70th day

HELD SRINAGAR: In occupied Kashmir the miseries of millions of residents of Kashmir Valley and Muslim majority areas of Jammu region continue unabated as the strict lockdown imposed by the Indian government entered the 70 day today (Sunday).

According to the Kashmir Media Service, shops and main markets are shut and public transport is off the roads in the Kashmir Valley and Muslim majority areas of Jammu as a mark of protest to express resentment against the Indian occupation. Though private vehicles are plying on the roads but in the absence of public transport, people find it difficult to get to hospitals and move from one place to another to meet their loved ones. The claim of opening of cell phone services by Indian government proved false as the Kashmiris can’t even easily communicate with their relatives and friends owingto gag on internet and cell phone services. The lockdown and ban on communications has virtually cut off the Kashmir Valley from the outside world.

On the other hand Indian civil rights activists talking to reporters in New Delhi urged the Indian government to restore Articles 370 and 35A as well as mobile and internet services remove the restrictions on the movement of people in the Kashmir Valley and take steps to bring back normalcy in the territory.

Social activist Shabnam Hashmi on the occasion said that the abrogation of Article 370 was a mindless exercise carried out by the BJP-led government. Delhi-based journalist and writer Revati Laul said that the repeal of Article 370 was the main cause of trauma for the people of Kashmir.

Kannan Gopinathan the IAS officer who resigned in protest against human rights violations in occupied Kashmir addressing a conference in Kerala’s Thrissur city said that denial of human rights to the Kashmiri people and exclusion of a group of people in Assam in the name of Citizenship Amendment Bill are unconstitutional acts.

Meanwhile, Resistance Youth League (RYL) in occupied Kashmir has appealed to the Ulema and intellectuals of the territory to play lead role in ending the Indian subjugation.

According to Kashmir Media Service RYL in the posters circulated in occupied Kashmir said that it was the responsibility of the religious leaders and intellectuals to show the path of freedom to the Kashmiri youth.

The RYL said that at a time when the cruel soldiers were standing at the doors of the Kashmiris and the chastity of their mothers, sisters and daughters were in danger it was the responsibility of every person to play his role in the ongoing freedom movement.

It said this is going to be a long and final war and even Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has put everything at stake. The RYL said that the responsibility of Ulema was to encourage people and raise voice before the cruel ruler. It said the battle for freedom has entered the phase where we all should collectively take such steps that the world could raise voice in our favour.

It also urged the philanthropists to help the people associated with transport and other poor people in their mohallahs and fulfil their needs. It appealed theme to give Qarz-e-Hasna to the deserving people.

The Resistance Youth League called upon the owners of the mills and cement factories to run their business after maghrib and avoid to purchase cement from outside. It said the well-to-do people should also play role in the freedom movement by donating to the Baitul Maal. It also urged the newspaper industry not to play the role of Mir Jaafar and Mir Sadiq, adding that India had humiliated Farooq Abdullah and tomorrow could be your turn.