Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to express disappointment over the civilian traffic ban and said that the decision was “mindless”. Mehbooba Mufti also took out a protest march against the order.
Agencies
Srinagar, April 7:
National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) activists in Jammu and Kashmir today protested against the government’s restrictions on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla national highway for two days per week.
Governor Satya Pal Malik announced a two-day per week ban on the movement of civilian vehicles for facilitating safe passage of security convoys. It came into effect from today (April 7).
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to express disappointment over the civilian traffic ban and said that the decision was “mindless”.
“Driving to Uri I’m getting to see first hand the extent of disruption and inconvenience that is being caused to people because of the mindless highway closure order that is in place today,” Omar Abdullah tweeted.
Driving to Uri I’m getting to see first hand the extent of disruption & inconvenience that is being caused to people because of the mindless highway closure order that is in place today.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 7, 2019
National Conference (NC) leaders led by Omar Abdullah took out a march at Athwajan on the highway to protest the ban imposed by the government.
Calling the order “dictatorial”, Abdullah said, “They should use train service for the movement of the security force personnel or they can move them at night so that people do not have to suffer.”
“It is our demand that this order is revoked. It sounds dictatorial.”
Over my dead body: Mehbooba Mufti
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, also a former chief minister of the state, took out a protest march against the order. She said that her party will go to court against the civilian traffic ban order.
She said, “We don’t have an occupational army here. If the government of India thinks that by resorting to such tactics they can suppress the people here, they are wrong.”
“Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris. That they will have to seek permission to use their own roads, we will not allow this to happen. I appeal to people to defy this ban,” she said.
“Protested against Guv admins callous and absurd ban today. How can you restrict civilian movement on our main highway? You want to smother Kashmiris, change the demographics of the state & imprison them in their own land? Over my dead body,” she said.
Protested against Guv admins callous & absurd ban today. How can you restrict civilian movement on our main highway? You want to smother Kashmiris, change the demographics of the state & imprison them in their own land? Over my dead body. pic.twitter.com/y72LUVGhTY
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 7, 2019
Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference leader and candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat Irfan Ansari also staged a protest near Bemina against the ban.
Officials said that the Army, police and CRPF personnel have been deployed at all intersections leading to the highway to ensure that civilian traffic does not interfere with the movement of convoys of security forces.
