NEW DELHI: Blitzed by demonetisation, Kashmir’s Hurriyat Conference is betting on its Right to Self Determination Programme to regain relevance in the Valley and garner funds. It was launched on November 25 and will continue till December 1. The protest has also got hip, with motorcycle rallies, road shows, azadi taranas to attract youth. “The protests will serve the twin agenda of consolidating Hurriyat’s depleting support base in the Valley and pleasing Pak political and military leaderships. They are aimed at projecting Hurriyat’s relevance to the new Pak Army Chief and seeking more funds,” a Home Ministry official told The Sunday Standard.
The timing is also significant, coming after 95 per cent of schoolchildren appeared for exams despite the separatists’ boycott call.
Hurriyat funds have been exhausted after funding the month-long unrest that followed the liquidation of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in July. The demonetisation drive has compounded the problem. Moreover, the NDA and the Jammu & Kashmir government have scrapped government funding to separatists in exchange for calling off strikes. The Hurriyat is trying to recast itself as a trendy movement. The new protest calendar includes ‘freedom’ prayers at district jamias and street protests after afternoon prayers on Friday. At the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar where authorities allowed namaz only last week after 19 Fridays, young men raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Some masked youth carrying Pakistani flags assembled outside the mosque and raised aazadi slogans.
Hurriyat has also given protesters the weekend off. On Monday and Tuesday, demonstrations will start at 7 am and continue till evening. Aazadi road shows, foot marches towards tehsil headquarters and motorcycle protests are on their agenda. Hurriyat has asked people to occupy local chowks and protest till 4 pm. The Resistance/Masjid Committees in the Valley have been asked to take part in full measure across all districts on Wednesday. On December 1, the concluding day, the group has planned a day-long Aazadi Convention. People have also been asked to ensure a shutdown across the Valley and the lockdown of all routes in their localities. They will also play aazadi’ and Islamic taranas (tunes).