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Cops told us to not to shut shops on August 5: Kashmir traders
The allegations come amid J&K Police terming fake, a statement released in the name of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani in which people were asked to observe ‘civil curfew’ on August 5 and also on India’s Independence Day on August 15.
Traders in Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar have alleged that they have been asked by the J&K Police to not observe a shutdown on August 5, the second anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
The allegations come amid J&K Police terming fake, a statement released in the name of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani in which people were asked to observe ‘civil curfew’ on August 5 and also on India’s Independence Day on August 15.
“As per family sources of SAS Geelani, the tweet is fake and issued by someone from Pakistan. Police are taking action against those who are circulating it to instigate violence. An FIR under relevant sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention has been registered at Budgam police station,” police said in a tweet.
However, many traders and shopkeepers in Srinagar, including those in and around the city centre, Lal Chowk, said they have been asked not to shut shops on Thursday.
“Police on Tuesday told our market’s president that shops should remain open on Thursday. If someone fails to do so, he will be himself responsible for the consequences,” said a trader of the market opposite Kashmir Haat.
He said that on Wednesday, police officials visited the market and reiterated that shops should be kept open on Thursday.
“August 5 is a day when our special status was snatched away from us. Our conscience won’t allow us to open shops,” he said.
Shopkeepers from Goni Khan and Maharaj Bazaar also reiterated the claims.
On July 8, a spontaneous shutdown was observed in parts of Kashmir on the fifth death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. While separatists would call a strike on Wani’s anniversary but after the crackdown on them and revocation of J&K special status on August 5, 2019, there have been no calls from them for strike.
The allegations come after a senior police officer had told a public gathering in north Kashmir recently that “peace has now returned to Kashmir and the shopkeepers should not down shutters on August 5 and 15”.
Kashmir Chamber of Industries and Commerce president Sheikh Ashiq confirmed that traders have been getting calls from police. “I also came to know that there is some exercise going on though I didn’t get any call from the police personally. Traders called me saying that they have been called by the police. We are business people and we should not have been brought into this,” he said.
Messages to director general of police Dilbag Singh and inspector general of police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar elicited no response.
