J&K calm on Article 370 repeal anniversary; normal life remains unaffected

SRINAGAR:  On the third anniversary of Article 370 revocation, Kashmir remained calm. Normal life went on smoothly with office goers attending office and traffic plying normally. Shops in the city centre Lal Chowk were open.

Unlike last year, when the police broke locks of closed shops at Lal Chowk to force shopkeepers to keep their shops open, this time nothing of the sort happened. Shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remained open and did normal business.

In Nowhatta area of Srinagar, some shops were closed. No one called for any strike.

“It was a normal day for us. No doubt, we are hurt by the August 5, 2019 decision but closing our shop for a day will not get it back. There has to be a political approach for getting Article 370 back. Unfortunately, the behaviour of our political leaders has disappointed us,” said a Srinagar shopkeeper.

Post Article 370 revocation, there have been only a few shutdowns in the Valley.

With most of the top and second-rung Hurriyat and separatist leaders under arrest, the separatist politics has gone backstage since August 5, 2019, when the Centre scrapped J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

A few kms from Lal Chowk, PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti-led a protest rally of her party against Article 370 revocation. Carrying placards and banners, the PDP leaders and workers demanded the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A.

Terming August 5, 2019 as a dark day, Mehbooba said, “We have taken the pledge we will get our constitution and special status back. We will also force the government to resolve the Kashmir issue,” she said.

Congress party also staged a protest against Article 370 revocation and price hike at party headquarters in Srinagar.

However, unlike PDP and Congress, the NC did not take out any protest rally. NC president Farooq Abdullah chaired a meeting of party workers at the party office in Srinagar.

“August 5, 2019 marks a breach of trust, decisions not acceptable to us. We hope the Supreme Court will reverse the unilateral, undemocratic and unconstitutional decisions,”

Abdullah said. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also flagged off ‘The Great Indian Run’ as a part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. 

OIC’s Kashmir remark reeks of bigotry: MEA

NEW DELHI: In response to media queries regarding OIC General Secretariat’s statement that India’s decision on Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 were “illegal and unilateral”, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affair Arindam Bagchi said: “The statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir today reeks of bigotry. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”

SRINAGAR:  On the third anniversary of Article 370 revocation, Kashmir remained calm. Normal life went on smoothly with office goers attending office and traffic plying normally. Shops in the city centre Lal Chowk were open. Unlike last year, when the police broke locks of closed shops at Lal Chowk to force shopkeepers to keep their shops open, this time nothing of the sort happened. Shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remained open and did normal business. In Nowhatta area of Srinagar, some shops were closed. No one called for any strike. “It was a normal day for us. No doubt, we are hurt by the August 5, 2019 decision but closing our shop for a day will not get it back. There has to be a political approach for getting Article 370 back. Unfortunately, the behaviour of our political leaders has disappointed us,” said a Srinagar shopkeeper. Post Article 370 revocation, there have been only a few shutdowns in the Valley. With most of the top and second-rung Hurriyat and separatist leaders under arrest, the separatist politics has gone backstage since August 5, 2019, when the Centre scrapped J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories. A few kms from Lal Chowk, PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti-led a protest rally of her party against Article 370 revocation. Carrying placards and banners, the PDP leaders and workers demanded the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. Terming August 5, 2019 as a dark day, Mehbooba said, “We have taken the pledge we will get our constitution and special status back. We will also force the government to resolve the Kashmir issue,” she said. Congress party also staged a protest against Article 370 revocation and price hike at party headquarters in Srinagar. However, unlike PDP and Congress, the NC did not take out any protest rally. NC president Farooq Abdullah chaired a meeting of party workers at the party office in Srinagar. “August 5, 2019 marks a breach of trust, decisions not acceptable to us. We hope the Supreme Court will reverse the unilateral, undemocratic and unconstitutional decisions,” Abdullah said. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also flagged off ‘The Great Indian Run’ as a part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.  OIC’s Kashmir remark reeks of bigotry: MEA NEW DELHI: In response to media queries regarding OIC General Secretariat’s statement that India’s decision on Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 were “illegal and unilateral”, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affair Arindam Bagchi said: “The statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir today reeks of bigotry. The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India.”