Several trade, Hurriyat leaders and other bodies held separate protest demonstrations on Friday across the Kashmir valley against the attempts for abrogation of Article35.The demonstrations were held in response to a call by representatives of 27 Kashmir-based trade organisations which jointly formed an umbrella body recently and announced a week-long protest programme until August 7 to “protect” the constitutional provision from any “tinkering’ which they fear will dilute the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution of India. The body has called for protest across Kashmir to “protect” the constitutional provision from any “tinkering’ which they fear will dilute the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution of India.Traders representing Traders’ Association Anantnag protest against ‘attack on special status of the state’. The business community under the banner of Traders’ Association Anantnag assembled at Lal-Chowk in Anantnag town and marched towards Court Road while shouting slogans and holding placards.Protester while taking to Press Trust of Kashmir said, “We appeal all to get united so that we successfully ward off any attack against our very existence”.
Meanwhile the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) also staged a protest in Srinagar against the “planned abrogation” of Article 35-A.Soon after the culmination of Friday prayers at Bilal Masjid at the Bund in Srinagar, scores of activists of JRL led by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik took out a protest march.JKLF chief Yasin Malik said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are ready to defend the Article 35-A “with their blood.” JRL has also warned of mass agitation across the state if New Delhi launched any assault on Article 35A.However Awami national conference vice President Muzaffar Shah said, “Our team is aware about the constitution of Kashmir and constitution of India”. He added that “Nobody have power to withdrawn 35A from the constitution”.He further added that “Supreme court can’t do anything with 35A even Parliament also can’t do anything with 35A” this is the guaranty from the forefather of India that no one can withdraw 35A from the constitution.“If 35A withdrawn by Supreme Court the situation of Kashmir will be the worst which people have never seen”, he said.However Jammu and Kashmir bachao Tahreek president and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil said that “if anything happen with article 35A Kashmir will be no more the part of India”. Because of article 35 Kashmir is with India”.He added that “there is a need for the people of Jammu and Kashmir to put political differences aside and unite as it is an issue of the whole state and not just Kashmir”.He said while Article 370 has been “diluted” over the years thorough several amendments, the people of Jammu and Kashmir would not let Article 35A be tinkered with.“Our relation with the country is based on Article 370 and Article 35A. If anything is done to them, this relation will break away and the JKBT will be the first party to challenge the accession,” Vakil said.
Meanwhile while offering his support for peaceful protests in favour of Article 35A of the Constitution CPI (M) State Secretary Ghulam Nabi Malik said that that any fiddling with the Article was not acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. People across the state feel deeply concerned over the issue as J&K acceded to India under the guarantees provided by the Constitution of India. Any attempt to repeal or fiddle with Article 35A (which confers some special privileges on the permanent residents of J&K) would have serious ramifications not only in Kashmir Valley but in Jammu and Ladakh regions as well.The conspiracy to remove Article 35-A is essentially the agenda of communal, divisive and anti-democratic forces who want to thrive on uncertainty, discard, hatred and turmoil.Meanwhile Joint Resistance Leadership(JRL), led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq held a protest on the assault on Article 35A, 370 in Jamia Masjid .Mirwaiz said that “if anything will happen with 35A Whole Jammu and Kashmir will unity” . He said that whole Kashmir will stop their work and protect 35A.Meanwhile people staged demonstrations in the Old City of the capital city here against the attempts to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.Groups of youth after offering congregational Friday prayers took out a procession from historic Jamia Masjid in the Old City of Nowhatta this afternoon, witnesses said.Chanting slogans, the people, mostly youth were protesting against the move to revoke Article-35A, which grants special rights and privileges to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir.(PTK)