Srinagar and some other parts of Kashmir Valley have been witnessing acts of wilful vandalism over the past few days, leaving scores of private cars, auto-rickshaws and motorbikes damaged. Also, a few people were injured in the recent assault incidents. Private cars and other vehicles were attacked with stones by groups of youth, many of them wearing bandanas or three-hole balaclava to hinder recognition, at various places on Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier on Tuesday, two auto-rickshaws were torched in Srinagar’s Saida Kadal and Babademb localities, apparently to punish the operators for violating the shutdown call from an alliance of key separatist leadership. The alliance named as ‘Joint Resistance Leadership’ has extended its ‘protest calendar’ by another week from Friday (October 7), leaving only three days – Saturday, Wednesday and Thursday — for people to do their normal work between 5pm and 6am on each of these.
It has, during the rest of period, called for holding protest rallies and marches, including one on the summer headquarters of the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in Srinagar’s Sonwar area on Friday.
Almost an identical protest schedule is being pursued currently. But there is increasing defiance or violation of the same as shops remain open in several areas and private cars and skeleton transport services, mainly auto-rickshaws, are seen playing on the roads beyond ‘relaxation’ periods. Also a group of cab operators on Thursday held a protest here against “bread snatching”.
But at places, running cars and other vehicles were — during the past couple of days — intercepted by groups of youth who not only threatened the drivers and passengers but, in several cases, broke the windshields and other glass panes of their vehicles.
The separatists have distanced themselves from these acts of vandalism but had earlier last week in view of fading adherence to their strike diktat in parts of the Valley particularly Srinagar and north and north-western districts urged the people to show deference to those “who laid down their lives for the freedom” and that “it is high time for showing unity and resilience.” A statement issued by it here said, “At a time when people have put everything at stake, we strongly resent increased movement of private vehicles. When people are rendering sacrifices, plying of vehicles during shutdown is aimed at weakening the ongoing resistance movement”.
Neither has gone unnoticed in public. While vandalism being witnessed on the roads particularly the attack on the car in which a groom was returning home with his bridge from a nikah ceremony at Shray, Tangmarg area of Baramulla district has angered people, many people say the separatists’ ‘protest calendar’ should not be violated till drawn to its ‘logical conclusion’.
The separatists and their supporters in public alike have, on the other hand, ridiculed the government over its “selective empathy”. Reacting to its decision to compensate the “poor” owners of the two auto-rickshaws which were burnt down here earlier this week, a Hurriyat Conference spokesman asked “What about the damage done to private properties including residential houses, cars and other vehicles and standing and just reaped apple and paddy crops by the government forces across the Valley Why doesn’t government talk about the victims of the acts of state terrorism ”
It was the 90th day of unrest in Kashmir Valley on Thursday. Though its over 7 million population seems to have learned to live in the prevailing circumstances, the labouring class is finding it increasingly difficult and, in many cases, impossible to make both ends meet. The drawn-out turbulence has deprived the vendors and labouring class of the means of earnings.
While Kashmir traders’ bodies have publicly vowed to “sacrifice” their business for the sake of ‘freedom’ and to show respect to over ninety people slain during the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahedin commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani on July 8, those living hand to mouth can hardly afford slump anymore. Voices are being raised including through social media to question the wisdom behind calls for nonstop shutdown and some people have openly termed this as “self destructive.” But those who differ ask the critics to suggest alternatives which could help towards taking the ‘movement’ to its logical conclusion.
Meanwhile, police sources here said that it is not just the separatists’ supporters and other “miscreants” out on the streets creating law and order situations but activists and known supporters of two main opposition parties and others ‘hired’ by them too have been found involved in acts of vandalism. The police has over the past three months arrested or detained more than 4,000 people and nearly 300 of them have been booked under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). Those against cases under various provisions of law stand registered at various police stations include “known supporters” of National Conference, the Congress and, ironically, even the ruling PDP besides some other mainstream parties. “Since a free for all kind of situation persists, the vested interests are seizing it to serve their own ends,” said a police officer. Asked about the involvement of the PDP supporters, the police officer who requested anonymity, said, “They do it to buy peace and avoid becoming target because of extreme anger and apathy towards the ruling class.”
