Political parties lock offices, suspend activities

Srinagar, Mar 21:  Political parties have locked offices and suspended their political activities to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir.

For the last three days, the administration has imposed restrictions in different parts of the valley after a Saudi Arabia returned woman tested positive for COVID 19.

All the major political parties including National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Congress have locked their offices in Srinagar and Jammu. They have also canceled their workers’ meet and other activities scheduled from March 18 to 31.

National Conference said the party has gone into a self -isolation mode after canceling all the events till March 31. “We have locked down our party office Nawah-e- Subeh. Direction has also been to our workers that they shouldn’t visit the office till the impact of coronavirus subsides,” said NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar.

Dar said even the party president Farooq Abdullah has decided not to meet visitors in view of coronavirus threat. “So many people have been visiting the residence of Dr. Farooq Abdullah ever since he was released.  Now he too has suspended any interaction with the visitors,” he said.

PDP too has locked its offices both in Jammu and Srinagar.  PDP spokesperson Firdous Tak said the party will discharge their duties to create awareness among the people.

“Our party has not carried out any major activity since the abrogation of article 370. Now some workers’ meetings were scheduled to be held. However, they have been suspended in view of coronavirus scare. Both of our offices in Srinagar and Jammu have been locked down,” he said.

Congress party has also joined the chorus and stopped all its programmes scheduled for the next two weeks.

“Under current circumstances, it is better to remain indoors. We have suspended our programmes,” said a senior Congress leader.

Newly formed Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari has also postponed a programme of launching the Jammu chapter of his party.