By Owais Gul
Srinagar: Amid restrictions in Srinagar parts and shutdown across the Valley, the Industrialist Association of Khonmoh(IAK) on Thursday carried out a protest march in support of Article 35-A, currently subjudice in the top court of India.
Notably, the Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to hear a bunch of petitions on Article 35-A on Friday.
In view of the hearing of the case, scores of members from IAK assembled at Srinagar’s Press Enclave and chanted slogans like ‘ dismiss the petition’ and ‘save Article 35-A’.
The protesting members were also carrying banners reading slogans in support of Article 35-A.
Amid pro-35-A sloganeering, IAK protesters later marched towards Ganta Ghar here to mark a protest against the attempts to revoke the State Subject Law.
The protesting IAK members said that that people of all the three regions won’t allow any tempering with the constitution and area ready to defend it at any cost.
“Article 35-A is the identity of people living across the Jammu and Kashmir and any fiddling with the constitution will have serious consequences as the people here can go any extend to protect the law,” they said.
The IAK members also demanded that the petitions, seeking scrapping of the law should be dismissed by the Supreme Court (SC) so that the people here could heave a sigh of relief from what they termed as the ‘evil designs, hell-bent to change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier, Kashmir Inc, an amalgam of Valley trade bodies, government employees, Civil Societies and others also hit the streets since the petition seeking scrapping of the law was filed before the SC.
They also demanded the protection of the law while as a Civil Society called Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Coordination Committee (JKCSCC) comprising Deputy Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, Awami National Conference Senior Vice president Muzaffar Shah, All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina and Advocate Mir Javaid have also filed the intervention application at the top Court of India to defend the law.
Besides, several political parties, leaders and Bar Association of Kashmir have also filed the separate intervention applications in the apex court who will be given 15 minutes each to defend the Article 35-A.
Moreover, the state government has also decided to seek adjournment of the case, citing Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections in the State.
Reports said that the government had on Wednesday approached the Apex Court registry to submit that it will seek an adjournment of the hearing of the Article 35-A case on Friday.
