The battle-lines appear to be drawn between the separatists and the government over the ‘pro-azadi’ march to Lal Chowk slated for October 6.
Section 144 has been imposed in Srinagar for a month
SRINAGAR: The battle-lines appear to be drawn between the separatists and the government over the ‘pro-azadi’ march to Lal Chowk slated for October 6.
After suspending their agitation during Ramzan, the Hurriyat-led Coordination Committee has revived its protests and go ahead with the march.
The J&K administration has, however, said it intends to measures to prevent this and as a first step, has invoked section 144 CRPC to ban the assembly of the people in the capital.
District magistrate Srinagar Mehraj Kakroo said that under Section 144 of the CRPC, restrictions has been imposed on public assembly of five or more persons in territorial jurisdiction of district Srinagar for a one-month period.
Security forces are also in a state of preparedness even as there are indications that the
government may consider a curfew to prevent the march. Efforts are on to erect barricades at Lal Chowk, the venue of the march.
Government insiders say that some of the separatists may be put under house arrest and if things do not improve, they may even be placed under custody.
However, preparations for the march are on. “No curfew, no prohibitory orders and no arm twisting measures can deter us from marching towards Lal Chowk,” warned Syed Saleem Geelani, leader of the Hurriyat Conference and a member of the core group.
The Coordination Committee’s core group of 15 members led by JKLF chief Yasin Malik will oversee the arrangements for the march. Around 1000 volunteers have been selected to supervise these arrangements.
“People should remain peaceful during the march which would be made successful at any cost”, said Malik
Over 45 people were killed since August 11 when separatists and fruit growers defied restrictions and marched on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road to cross the LoC in a bid to break the economic blockade.
Several separatists including top guns like Shabir Shah, Ashraf Sahrai and others have been arrested and booked under public safety act for leading the renewed secessionist struggle in Kashmir.
h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net
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