Why are separatists being allowed to campaign

Visiting the Kashmir Valley ever after the unrest following Burhan Wani’s killing, a lady journalist recorded how uneasy she felt as compared to her visit there during floods, when despite facing acute difficulties and financial losses, people had been friendly and hospitable.

In Srinagar, buying some apples, she tried to talk to the vendor but failed to draw a response. Approaching another fruit vendor, she managed to strike up a conversation and was told how two days ago, about two km from Lal Chowk, a few protesters came and threw all his fruit on the road, damaged his cart and threatened to do so again if he tried to sell his fruits there. Having no option but to sell fruits to feed his family, he tried to sell them at Lal Chowk, where yet again he was threatened by a young Kashmiri boy and had to leave from there too. She herself was also threatened against taking photographs. When she asked a local senior journalist, she was told that photographs of small traders going about their daily business would suggest that the simmering tension was waning and life was heading towards normalcy. Later, she learnt from top security sources that Kashmiris are strictly adhering to the calendars issued by the separatists every Friday, every month, on social media/other means, dictating that from 6 am till 6 pm, all shops must stay shut and people should remain indoors. After 6 pm, only a few grocery shops are allowed to open. Locals are also ordered to hold marches, public meetings and protest in their villages and towns.

Excerpts from calendars by the Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat issued to Current News Service (CNS), Srinagar on Friday September 23, 2016 and following days read: “September 23, No relaxation Karnah, Uri, Gurez, Charar Sharif, Kangan, Srinagar North (Shahr-i-Khaas), Pampore, Devsar, Shopian (central), Kokarnag Freedom March. From 9 am March one and all from Kupwara to Karnah, Baramulla to Uri, Bandipora to Gurez, Budgam to Chararsharif, Ganderbal to Kangan, Srinagar to Shahr-i-Khaas, Pulwama to Pampore, Shopian to Shopian (central), Kulgam to Devsar and Islamabad to Kokarnag. Post Friday prayers hold freedom congregation at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually. Resistance/Masjid committees of these tehsils should ensure the arrangements Sepetember 24, Saturday, relaxation from 6 pm to 6 am, Handwara, Boniyar, Sonawari, Chadoora, Lar, Srinagar (South), Awantipora, DH Pora, Shopian South, Shangus Freedom March. From 9 am March one and all from Kupwara to Handwara, Baramulla to Boniyar, Bandipora to Sonawari, Budgam to Chadoora, Ganderbal to Lar, Srinagar to Srinagar (South), Pulwama to Awantipora, Shopian to Shopian (South) Kulgam to DH Pora and Islamabad to Shangus. Post-Zuhar prayer: hold freedom congregation at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually. Resistance/Masjid committees of these tehsils should ensure the arrangements September 25, Sunday, relaxation from 2 pm to 6 am, Kupwara (central), Rafiabad, Bandipora (central) Khansahab, Ganderbal (central), Srinagar (central), Tral, Kulgam (central), Shopian (North), Dooru Freedom March. From 9 am March one and all from Kupwara to Kupwara (central), Baramulla to Rafiabad, Bandipora to Bandipora (central), Budgam to Khansahab, Ganderbal to Ganderbal (central), Srinagar to Srinagar (central), Pulwama to Tral, Shopian to Shopian (North), Kulgam to Kulgam (central), and Islamabad to Dooru. Post Zuhar prayer: hold freedom congregation at the place identified and agreed upon locally and mutually. Resistance/Masjid committees of these tehsils should ensure the arrangements ”

According to the local media, the “united Hurriyat” have run out of ideas to keep Kashmir boiling and quite confused, have issued a fresh protest calendar in October on the same anti-national lines as previous ones. People dealing with business in Kashmir have ridiculed the leadership of the Hurriyat. With no respite from separatists, people continue taking to the streets. On October 6, transporters publicly protested against Mr Geelani in Lal Chowk saying he had failed to think of their livelihood and that their families were suffering from starvation. Business delegations have been visiting Mr Geelani’s residence requesting for extension of relaxation and restoration of normalcy. A delegation of transporters visited Mr Geelani’s residence complaining that he was only concerned about shopkeepers and completely ignoring transporters. Since July 8, when protests erupted, the Hurriyat had not announced a single hour of relaxation for buses, cabs and autorickshaws. When some autorickshaws defied a ban, two of their vehicles were torched by miscreants. For the past three months the separatists have been issuing protest calendars, preventing restoration of normalcy in Kashmir.

Why are the separatists being allowed to maintain the spread of hate and violence, sabotaging of education and prevention of resumption of normalcy Why are they being allowed to ruin the lives of Kashmiris in the Valley When terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been attacked, why are traitors in Jammu and Kashmir not being neutralised