Admn threatening traders with police cases for Aug 5 shutdown: Mehbooba

Former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the government of India was threatening shopkeepers with police cases for observing a strike on August 5, the second anniversary of abrogation of Article 370

Former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the government of India was threatening shopkeepers with police cases for observing a strike on August 5, the second anniversary of abrogation of Article 370.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that the Centre threatening shopkeepers is the latest confidence-building measure after firing of government employees on trivial grounds and denial of passports. (HT File)

“The GoI threatening shopkeepers with FIRs for shutting their shops on August 5 is the latest confidence-building measure (CBM) after firing of government employees on trivial grounds and denial of passports,” tweeted Mehbooba.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone said, “In a democracy, we will not endorse any action where shops are opened or closed forcefully.”

Traders in Srinagar alleged that police broke locks of several shops in the city.

On Wednesday, president of retailers’ association Farhan Kitab had alleged that traders have been getting calls from the police and district administration not to observe a shutdown on August 5. “The administration told us that the shops from Lal Chowk to Polo View are on ‘nazool’ land (government land) and the traders have not renewed the legal formalities and are hence liable for legal action. Four of our shops were sealed on Wednesday,” he said.

Kitab said that police also held a meeting with them, asking them not to indulge in any “anti-national’’ activity on August 5. “We are a traders’ body and can’t force anybody to keep their business open,” he said.