Srinagar, July 29: Upping the ante over the recent killings and arrests in the Valley, Peoples Democratic Party legislators led by the party chief, Mehbooba Mufti, Thursday locked the entrance to the civil secretariat—the highest seat of governance in Jammu and Kashmir—and staged a dharna, accusing government of turning Kashmir into “virtual jail.”
The PDP legislators led by Mehbooba arrived at the secretariat in the afternoon and after locking the main gate leading to secretariat premises, they staged a sit-in protest.
“We want to give the government a taste of the siege which it has laid around every Kashmiri by clamping down the curfews,” Mehbooba told reporters outside the secretariat. “Whole Kashmir is under siege. They should close down the secretariat. It has become defunct.”
Mehbooba along with other PDP leaders and legislators was protesting against the government for “bringing miseries” to people. Carrying placard showing the pictures of Kashmiris particularly teenagers killed allegedly in police and CRPF action, Mehbooba raised slogans: “Stop Killing children, Punish the killers.” Other PDP leaders were also holding the placards to “highlight the atrocities” committed on Kashmiris.
There is “Jungle Raj” going on in Kashmir, Mehbooba alleged. “Parents are asked by the government not to allow their children out. Employees are threatened of dire consequences. People are being treated like prisoners.” She demanded release of all political prisoners and revocation of Public Safety Act against youth and separatists.
“The setting up of the 2-member commission of inquiry and a separate committee by the government to probe the killings and review the cases of the Kashmiris detained under PSA respectively is a drama. Arrest of Kashmiri youth continues,” she alleged.
She criticized government for preventing people from villages to distribute relief in the Srinagar city--most parts of which were under curfew for past few months. In its protest program for this week, Hurriyat Conference (G) had urged village people to bring relief items including vegetables and rice for their urban brethren. Police had on Tuesday seized the relief laden trucks on way to here near Sonawar. “We will help people in relief distribution program. The government wants people to starve to death,” she alleged.
The PDP president said holding of District Development Board meetings by the government was of no use in times when Kashmir was witnessing a crisis and people were put to sufferings.
Demanding the immediate release of all the innocent persons Mehbooba said the government seems to be at war with its own people and it had lost all credibility and moral authority. The undue restrictions, she said have brought life to a standstill and economic despair to entire society especially the weaker and the vulnerable sections. She said even though the community had responded to needs of poor the government did not even allow the relief goods to reach those in need of them.
Expressing the solidarity of her party with the people Mehbooba said that all the organizational units will contribute their mite to the relief effort and help in saving the poor from starvation. Mehbooba said the government should lift the restrictions and release all the detainees before the holy month of Ramadhan.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST