SRINAGAR: The normal life in Kashmir and parts of Jammu region was on Thursday paralysed by the strike called by separatists against any attempts to scrap Article 35A in view of tomorrow's hearing in Supreme Court on petitions challenging the validity of the state subject law.
The shops, business establishments, petrol pumps and educational institutions in summer capital Srinagar remained closed. The working in the government offices and banks was hit as most of the employees preferred to stay in their homes. The public and private transport was off the roads. Only security force vehicles and some two-wheelers were plying on deserted roads in Srinagar and other parts of the strife-torn Valley.
The three-wheelers were also off the roads and shikara wallas also stopped their service in world famous Dal Lake today. The shutdown was also observed in Doda, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Thathri, Gandoh, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch towns in Jammu province. The shutdown was called by separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik to protest any attempts to scrap Article 35A, which grants special privileges to residents of Jammu and Kashmir and bars outsiders from purchasing land and property and in the state and also bars outsiders from government jobs and government scholarships.
The separatists have called for two-day strike beginning today in view of hearing in Supreme Court tomorrow on petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A. The apex court would hear at least five petitions challenging the validity of the State subject law. The state government has again sought deferment of the hearing saying the administration is busy preparing for local body and panchayat polls.
Anticipating protests, the government imposed restrictions in parts of uptown and downtown Srinagar today. The restrictions were also placed on public movement in some other sensitive parts of the Valley. The police and paramilitary personnel had placed barricades and concertina wires in the areas where restrictions were placed to restrict public movement and prevent people from taking to roads and staging demonstrations.
All the top separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai were placed under house arrest while some second rung separatist leaders and activists were detained and lodged in police stations as a precautionary measure. Barring BJP and some Jammu-based parties, the political parties, separatists, lawyers, civil society members and traders have vowed to defend Article 35A and warned that any attempt to scrap the law would be opposed tooth and nail.
However, the BJP MLA Dr Gagab Bhagat has defied party stand and opposed any abrogation of Article 35A. He has warned that the people of Jammu would pick up guns and pet stones if the state subject law was scrapped.