By Muhammad Nadeem
Srinagar: Multiple associations and organizations like trade, transport, and civil societies held protests regarding the attempts to abrogate the Article 35A. Protests were seen in and out of the Valley including Kargil. The demonstrations were held in response to a call by JRL to protest the attempts to abrogate special status of Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution of India.
Article 35A of the Indian Constitution is an article that empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state’s legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.
In Srinagar”s Lal Chowk area protest were seen at various places including Sarafa Bazar, Hari Singh High Street, The Bund, Press Enclave and Pratap Park.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) also staged a protest against the “planned abrogation” of Article 35-A. After Friday prayers at Bilal Masjid at the Bund in Srinagar, scores of activists of JRL led by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik took out a protest march. JRL has called for a statewide shutdown on August 5 and 6 to protest any move tinkering with Article 35A.
Addressing a gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Chairman of Hurriyat (M) on Friday said that the tinkering with Article 35 A is not just an attempt to dilute the disputed nature of the state but an assault on the very existence of JK.
Senior Citizens, Civil Society, and Traders staged a peaceful protest at Pratap Park, Srinagar.
All Kashmir Gold Dealers and Workers association held a protest demonstration at Sarafa Bazar, Lal Chowk.
Protests were also held in Mandi tehsil of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Thousands of people took out separate protest marches from mosques soon after congregational weekly prayers. The prayer leaders of the mosques also participated in the protest march. The protesters said that the region will observe shutdown along with other parts of the state on August 6 when the Supreme Court hears petitions seeking abrogation of the article, reports said.
In Islamabad, Traders Association held a protest demonstration against attempts to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Scores of traders from the association assembled at Lal-Chowk and marched towards Mehandi Kadal and Court Road.
Scores of people in Tral area of South Kashmir also protested against the attempts to revoke the special status of J&K, Article-35A.
In Jammu, more than 300 Lawyers of unanimously passed a Resolution for strengthening and retention of Article 35A of the Constitution of India
In Kargil, Anjuman e Jamiat ul Ulema staged a huge protest in support of Article 370 and 35-A.
Bandipora Traders Federation and Civil Society here on today stage Protest Demonstration against the “threat” to abrogate Article 35A.
Reports said that after Friday Prayers, Scores of members of Bandipora Traders Federation and Civil Society assembled in Gulshan Chowk Bandipora in order to register their protest over the efforts of Abrogation of Article 35A.
With inputs from Basharat Rashid, Sameer Ahmad, Mudassir Maqbool, Tasadduq Hussain, Nasir khuehami
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