*SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, people could not offer Eid prayersand slaughter sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha, one of the biggestfestivals for Muslims, due to continued curfew and communication blackouton the eighth straight day.*
The entire occupied territory, including Doda and Kishtwar areas of Jammuregion, is reeling under strict curfew and communication blackout sincelast Monday when India unilaterally revoked Article 370 of the IndianConstitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Eid prayers were allowed in only a few small mosques located in peripheralareas of the Occupied Kashmir Valley. As people came out of these mosques,they started shouting anti-India slogans, which prompted the authorities toimmediately re-impose curfew. The web pages of all local newspapers couldnot be updated since that day.
Hurriyat leadership, including Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq andformer puppet ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Muftiare in house detention or in jails. National Conference leader Ali MuhammadSagharwas shifted to a jail in Uttar Pradesh.
An Indian TV channel, NDTV, itself admitted that the restrictions were sotough that even a fly could not move. A TV reporter said, “Very very harshrestrictions have been put in place. Even perhaps fly is not been allowedto move. Perhaps the Indian government is fearing trouble if there aremajor Eid congregations. I had to walk several kilometers because myvehicle was not allowed to move. This is the kind of situation on theground here. The roads are deserted even in high security zones like,Durganath Road, Gupkar and Sonawar areas, which have no population aroundand only security and the top officials live here. Just 15 kms from theseshigh security zones is revered shrine of Sonawar, but this shrine has alsobeen shut. All the mosques and the shrines be it Hazratbal, Jamia Masjid orEidgah Ground in Srinagar and even the high security TRC ground have beenshut.”
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The government spokesman is saying everything is relaxed. While in theinterior Mohallas Eid prayers are being held in smaller mosques, but not asingle major Eid congregation in Srinagar and in any other part of themajor towns of the valley. A very tense situation on the Eid.
“Only security forces’ vehicles can be seen moving here. I have never seensuch tough restrictions in the valley on Eid day in the past. Friday wasmuch relaxed as compared today. This time it is much much tougherrestrictions today. Even the media is not being allowed as I said I have towalk several kms to reach the office with great difficulty. Everywheremassive security is being made on Eid day. You can’t see even a toy shopopen anywhere because of the restrictions,” he said.