Srinagar, Aug 01 : As the hearing of Article 35-A case in the top court of India is approaching, the Valley traders on Wednesday began their week-long protest programme to protest against the apprehensions of any tinkering with the Article 35-A.
The Kashmir Inc, a joint amalgam of trade bodies staged a protest march here during which they marched from Residency road to Srinagar’s Press Enclave.
The protesting traders were carrying banners reading ‘Interference with Article 35-A unacceptable’ and were also chanting slogans in favour of protection to Article 35-A.
Earlier, the Kashmir Inc had supported the call given by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, vowing to protect Article 35-A with blood.
The trade bodies including KCC&I, FCIK, KTMF, JKSECE, Batamaloo Traders Association, KCSDS, All Joint Traders and Transporters Coordination Committee Batamaloo and other local market associations staged a silent protest march to “protect” Article 35-A from any onslaughts.
According to the KNS correspondent, talking to reporters on the sidelines, Spokesman of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCC&I), Mubeen Shah according to the KNS correspondent expressed concern over the threat to abrogate Article 35-A, saying that there should be no interference in Article 35-A.
Shah said that the top court of India where the hearing of Article 35-A will be held on Aug 06 should dismiss the plea.
The traders further said that they will protect the Article 35-A with their blood, saying that “in case of any tinkering with the Article 35-A, everything in the State will come standstill.”
“We are ready protect Article 35-A with our blood. Every citizen of Kashmir is ready to protect it,” the protesting traders said, adding that “the central government is using all tactics to dilute the special status of the State but the Valley traders as well as the people here won’t let that happen.”
They said that the case “was adding fuel to Kashmir unrest.”
The protesting traders later dispersed peacefully, saying that the protests will continue until the top court of India will dismiss the plea over Article 35-A.
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