SRINAGAR - Occupied Kashmir government, governed by Delhi on Monday initiated a crackdown after All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) called for million march on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s arrival.
According to report, the puppet government has launched crackdown against freedom seekers. Syed Ali Geelani had called for a march against Modi’s Srinagar visit. The march will be held to protest against the visit of the Indian PM to the territory on the same day, Kashmir Media Service reported.
The arrested leaders include Shabbir Ahmad Shah, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Zafar Akbar Butt, Muhammad Yousuf Naqash, Javed Ahmad Mir, Muhammad Yasin Atai, Muhammad Altaf Shah, Syed Imtiaz Haider and others. The veteran Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Gilani is already under house arrest, whereas Yasmeen Raja has been confined to her residence.
The Indian PM will inaugurate Baglihar II Power Project in Ramban district while address a rally in Srinagar.
The authorities have intensified frisking and checking in the name of security to pre-empt outbursts of protests on the occasion. Police have launched a hunt against users of Facebook and other social networking sites, calling for joining the Million March programme.
According to Indian media, Modi is scheduled to visit Srinagar on November 7. Separately, shutter down strike in Kulgam has entered the fourth day after Indian forces gunned down a youth.
The APHC in a statement issued in Srinagar appealed to the people to make the march a success. A week ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to the Valley, Indian police during raids and crackdowns arrested a large number of Hurriyat leaders and activists and lodged them in different jails and police stations.
Chief Minister (CM) Mufti Mohammad has termed the upcoming visit a ‘turning point’ in Indian-held Kashmir. He said that Kashmiris have high expectations from the PM’s visit. He was confident that Modi is eyeing an overall development of Kashmir.
The CM denounced any confrontation between the neighbouring countries as any hostility would have its repercussions in Kashmir.
SCOTLAND YARD READIES ‘PLAN’ TO DEAL WITH PROTESTS AHEAD OF MODI’S VISIT
The Scotland Yard has put in place a “policing plan” to deal with protests scheduled by several groups during the forthcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Britain — his first since 2003, which also witnessed protests, reported the Hindustan Times (HT)
A representative for the Scotland Yard told HT on Sunday that, “An appropriate policing plan is in place. We are in dialogue with various protest groups to facilitate their requests.”
Groups protesting on the day of the visit include various Sikh organisations. The visit is seen as a chance to help “break down the wall between the Indian state and Sikhs residing outside India”, as the Sikh Human Rights (SHR) Group said.
The group has already sent five proposals to New Delhi, including annulling “blacklists” of Sikhs living abroad who cannot travel to India, release of prisoners that are being held for political reasons, and a discussion between the Indian government and Sikhs living abroad.
There is concern in official circles about the security aspect of Modi’s visit, after a Sikh demonstration at the Indian High Commission last week led to violence and traffic disturbance in central London.
Most of the protests are scheduled for November 12, the first day of Modi’s three-day visit. Awaaz UK, a collective of several campaign groups that was also in the forefront during Modi’s 2003 visit, has declared a day of protests.
After protesting outside 10 Downing Street, where Modi is due to meet British Prime Minister David Cameron, the Awaaz UK protest will move to nearby Parliament Square, where the Indian premier is said to pay respects at the Gandhi statue and later address MPs in the parliament.