Srinagar, May 20: Government on Sunday imposed severe restrictions in downtown Srinagar thereby keeping several parts of the city out of bound.
Reports said that the forces early Sunday morning put barricades on all the entry and exit points of old city by erecting concertina wires.
The restrictions were imposed in view of ‘Eidgah chalo’ called by the Joint Hurriyat Leadership on Monday.
The downtown was kept out of bounds ahead of death anniversaries of Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani Lone on May 21.
Farooq was killed in 1990, while Lone was killed in 2002 while commemorating 12th anniversary of Farooq at Eidgah in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Awami Action Committee said the government forces disallowed its workers’ rally at the party Headquarters here at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal in connection with the Hafta-e-Shahadat (martyr’s week) by imposing strict curfew and restrictions in majority of downtown areas for the second consecutive day on Sunday and keeping the patron of the party Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest.
In the statement issued by AAC workers and delegates from different districts of Jammu and Kashmir districts had reached the valley to participate in the party rally.
“However, the ruling regime imposed strict curbs and barred people from reaching Rajouri Kadal as all roads were sealed with reams of concertina wires and the heavy deployment of police and CRPF men,” the statement read.
Strongly protesting the government’s decision of disallowing the rally, AAC also condemned the continuous house detention of its patron Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, since past three days.
AAC termed the government decision of disallowing the AAC rally for paying tribute to its founder Shaheeed e Millat Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq and caging Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on part of the authorities on the basis of “sheer force as dictatorial and vengeful”.
The statement said that the huge participation of people in the previous programs of Hafta-e-Shahadat unnerves the rulers as it brings to fore peoples committed to the mission of martyrs. The statement said that leaders like Shaheed-e-Milat and Shaheed-e-Hurriyat sacrificed their lives for a great and sacred people’s cause and every citizen of Kashmir is duty bound to honour and take forward the mission of martyrs.
The statement condemned the police raids on AAC workers, activists, and leaders terming it acceptance of defeat by the government. The AAC appealed the people of Kashmir to march towards Eidgah on May 21 where resistance leadership will address the gathering and reaffirm the pledge to take forward the mission of martyrs. Meanwhile, in Chenab valley, recitation of Quran and dua majlis for Shaheed-e-Milat was held at various places.
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