Members of the Democratic Youth Front of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a protest in front of the District Collectorate on Tuesday condemning the Centre for removing special status for Jammu and Kashmir.
The cadre raised slogans against the Bharathiya Janata Party Government and also condemned the arrests of former Chief Ministers Omar Abduallah and Mehbooba Mufti in the valley.
District secretary of DYFI V. Venkatesh said the Home Minister, Amit Shah, removed the special status for the State without even consulting citizens of Kashmir. The Government has used the armed forces to silence the people in the valley and this might happen to any other State any time soon. The Youth Front also condemned the bifurcation of the State and formation of two Union territories.
“The Centre is functioning in an authoritarian manner and they might use the same modus operandi at other places as well, where there is Opposition. The Modi government has disrespected the Constitution and it has been making false promises to the people of Kashmir. The BJP government said that demonetisation was introduced to reduced rate of militancy in Kashmir and now they are using the same reason to remove the special status now.”
Mr. Venkatesh alleged that the special status was removed for the benefit of corporates and they would exploit the mineral resources in Kashmir. The protesters demanded that the move should be reversed and it should be implemented only after consulting people of Kashmir.