Srinagar: Parts of Srinagar on Friday witnessed protests over the government’s plan to create a separate “composite township” within the Valley for displaced Kashmiri Pandits.
As Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik, along with dozens of his supporters began a protest march towards Lal Chowk, riot police came in their way and detained him and many others. This led to clashes between the two sides, witnesses said.
Police fired teargas canisters and canecharged to push back protesters, who broke police cordons and entered the Lal Chowk area. The area was soon turned into a battleground between the two sides, leaving over a dozen persons injured. Similar clashes were also reported from Kawadara in central Srinagar and in Palhalan township in Baramulla district. Police said eight of its men were also injured.
A group of Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley joined separatist JKLF-sponsored street protests. Educationists Pandit Vishin Jee, Pandit Moti Lal Bhat, social worker Kumar Jee Wanchoo, businessman Moti Lal Dhar and several women of the community joined JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik in the protest at Maisuma after Friday prayers.
“The procession marched towards Lal Chowk chanting slogan Sang Sang Jiyain Gay, Sang Sang Marain Gay (we will live together and die together),” a JKLF spokesman said. The Kashmiri Pandits told there was no need and no use of making separate colonies. “These colonies may benefit somebody’s politics, but can never benefit Pandits,” Vishin Jee said.
Kashmir’s separatist parties and various other groups, while drawing parallels to Israeli settlements in Palestine, have called for a one-day strike on Saturday.
Earlier this week, home minister Rajnath Singh had asked Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed to identify land for “composite township” for the Pandits.
But, separatist Hurriyat Conference, JKLF and other like-minded parties and groups and even regional mainstream National Conference (NC) see in it “an attempt on part of the Centre to create a state within the state and a ploy to make Kashmir next Palestine after robbing people of their land and driving a wedge between different communities.”
