SRINAGAR – In Occupied Kashmir, people held massive demonstrations inSrinagar and other major towns today, to protest against assault on Article35-A of the Indian Constitution.
The article grants special rights and privileges to permanent residents ofJammu and Kashmir and bars non-Kashmiris from permanently settling in theterritory.
A petition seeking repeal of Article 35-A is listed for hearing in IndianSupreme Court on Monday.
The repeal of this constitutional provision is aimed at converting Muslimmajority of Jammu and Kashmir into minority by paving way for non-MuslimIndian citizens to settle in the territory.
Soon after the culmination of Juma prayers, today, people took to thestreets in Srinagar, Badgam, Kangan, Ganderbal, Islamabad, Bandipora,Hajin, Kulgam, Kupwara, Sopore and Baramulla and staged forcefuldemonstrations against Indian conspiracy.
Members of Sikh and Pandit communities also participated in the protests.
The protesters led by Hurriyet leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq,Muhammad Yasin Malik and others raised high-pitched pro-freedom,pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans.
Addressing the protesters, Hurriyet leaders said people of Kashmir wereready to defend the Article 35-A with their blood.
Indian police subjected the protesters to brute force at different places.People also staged protests in Mandi area of Poonch district in Jammuregion against the onslaught on Article 35-A.
Hurriyet leaders, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Muhammad Iqbal Mir, Muhammad AhsanUntoo, Imtiaz Ahmed Reshi, Ghulam Nabi War and Ghulam Nabi Waseem in ajoint statement said people of Jammu and Kashmir would resist any attemptto abrogate the Article 35-A tooth and nail.
Members of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Coordination Committee, MirJavaid Advocate, Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam and Jagmohan Singh Raina, havesubmitted an application in Indian Supreme Court seeking dismissal of thepetition filed for abrogation of Article 35-A.
In the meantime, more than 300 Lawyers of Jammu unanimously passed aresolution at a meeting in Jammu for strengthening and retention of Article35-A.
Meanwhile, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred twomore youth during a cordon and search operation in Drusoo area of Sopore,today.
Complete shutdown was observed in different areas of Kupwara and Baramulladistricts against the killings.
Despite restrictions, thousands of people participated in the funeralprayers of a martyred youth, Bilal Ahmed, at his ancestral Shatmuqamvillage in Lolab area of Kupwara district, today.
The occupation authorities booked Tehreek-e-Hurriyet leader, Umar AadilDar, under black law, Public Safety Act, and lodged him at Kathua Jail inJammu