KEA warns New Delhi against fiddling with Article 370, Article-35A

Srinagar, Sep 26: Cautioning BJP led government of serious consequences over fiddling with Article 370 and Article-35A, the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) on Wednesday said New Delhi was treading path of East India Company (EIC) by ‘exploiting and looting’ natural resources in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Reports reaching news gathering agency Global News Service said that dozens of members of KEA, an amalgam of 16 trade bodies, assembled at Press Colony here this morning and staged an anti-government demonstration. The protesters led by Chairman KEA, Mohammad Yusuf Chapri accused India of walking into the footsteps of British EIC by ‘exploiting and looting’ natural resources of Kashmir.

“New Delhi wants to exploit and loot our natural resources. The privatisation of power sector and giving power projects to non-local firms amounts to an assault on the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. We won’t tolerate any assault on special provisions like Article 370 and Article-35A,” Chapri said.

For last five decades, Chapri said New Delhi has been ‘plundering’ natural resources of Kashmir, be it mountains, forests or water. The ‘unabated loot’ he said will not be tolerated anymore.

“Even after a gap of 30 years, NHPC has not been handed to the state government. We have a genuine right over the power projects. These power projects are created by using resources belonging to every Kashmiri,” KEA Chairman said.

He said when the state government can create and operate power projects; there was no need to rope in non-locals firms for generating more power supply.

“We will not allow privatization of power supply that will impact every common Kashmiri. We will hit the streets if the government goes ahead with the decision,” Chapri said.

Later, Chapri and other members tried to march towards the Civil Secretariat to register their anger against the move. However, cops intercepted the protesters and detained KEA co-chairman Farooq Ahmad  Dar and two more protesters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)