Srinagar: Authorities on Monday night and Tuesday morning made announcements on the loudspeakers about the imposition of curfew in the city of Srinagar, as the roads were completely deserted and deployment of the armed forces could be seen on the streets.
Later at night on Monday, Authorities had issued an order for curfew on August 4 and 5 in wake of the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, citing inputs that ‘separatist and Pakistan sponsored groups are planning to observe 5th August 2020 as Black Day’.
“Senior superintendent of Srinagar has reported that a series of inputs have been received suggesting that separatist and Pak sponsored groups are planning to observe 5th August 2020 as Black Day, therein apprehensions of violation action or protests are not ruled out. There are specific inputs about violent protests endangering public life and property,” read the order issued by Deputy Commisioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.
Furthermore, district magistrate Pulwama issued directions for intensifying the restrictions till August 6.
“In view of the surge in the no of COVID-19 cases & resultant deaths in the district, already restrictions have been imposed till 6am on Aug 06, 2020. However it has been observed that some people are not adhering to the restrictions in place & are still moving around without wearing masks and violating the social distancing norms,”read the order issued by District Magistrate Pulwama.
August 5 marks the anniversary of the removal of Article 370 by Government of India.
The Parliament of India had in August last year adopted a resolution to abrogate Article 370, and passed a Bill to bifurcate the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, controlled directly by the Government of India.
Article 370 granted Jammu and Kashmir autonomy, and its scrapping was done as all Kashmiri political representatives were kept under detention, communication in Kashmir was blacked out, and thousands were imprisoned.
The removal of Article 370 has made concrete the fears of demographic change in the Muslim majority region of Kashmir, as laws regarding land ownership and citizenship have been changed by the Government of India controlled administration.
Lately, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be restored as soon as the situation warrants, and asked the representatives to not believe any rumours.
On July 3, BJP’s General Secretary Ram Madhav said that party’s J&K unit is of the opinion that statehood should be given back to the erstwhile state when the time is favourable.
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