Valley leaders revive agitation, call for 3-day strike
Around 7,00,000 people drove to Eidgah maidan in Srinagar to take part in a march called by separatist Kashmiri leaders.
By Masood Hussain, ET Bureau |
SRINAGAR: Around 7,00,000 people drove to Eidgah maidan here to take part in a march called by separatist Kashmiri leaders. ���This sea of people must explain that what world is seeing here is enforced normality,��� a Kashmir lawyer said: ���We came here to tell India that domination does not necessarily mean victory.���
Many people complained of barriers in reaching the maidan. They said they had to cross many deterring obstacles to reach Srinagar: There were drop-gates, long multi-layered coils of concertina wires blocking roads forcing vehicles to take diversions. But no one spoke of any use of force by securitymen, an indication that governor N N Vohra���s administration still continues with its exemplary restraint.
Convoys of Kashmiris started at 2.30 pm, when Friday prayers were offered they were still gushing out of the nearly-choked Safa Kadal lane. All roads were actually leading to Eidgah and so huge was the crowd that volunteers stopped vehicles around two km ahead from all sides. Singing and dancing on newest azadi and pro-Pakistan tunes, the host population would stop them almost every 20 meters to offer water, bread and juice. In festive mood, there were men, women and children of all ages���even a few crippled on self-driven cycle chairs.
Earlier in the day, police said, not less than five youth were electrocuted in south Kashmir when they were shouting slogans atop a bus. One of them is presumed to have expired in hospital.
A young group singled out itself as it carried two new drums. Barring ���go go, India go���, they were not interested in any other slogan. They did lend drumbeats to some ���smash hit��� slogans but were not part of it actually.
Praising the slain, Eidgah���s Mazar-e-Shuhda was too crowded as most of the people came visiting turmoil���s tragic landmark. An aged man helped by his relative was almost lost in the cemetery while finding somebody���s grave. There were women ��� young and old, touching and kissing the gravestones.
Mostly, the people were carrying black and green flags. Some groups���mostly from the countryside���had kept specific identity marks on flags so that the people they were carrying along are not lost in the crowd. There were a few flags with names of militant outfits like al-Umar and Lashkar written on it. For the first time, there was attendance from Banihal, Doda and even Kishtwar���Jammu���s Muslim belts. There were Gujjars, Paharis and a huge population of Shia Muslim as well. For the first time there was no distinction between those preaching puritanical Islam and those following the Barealvi order, even on the pulpit.
Apart from India, the intense hate was directed towards Kashmir two main unionist political parties���the NC and PDP. Apparently the Hurriyat and Co-ordination Committee had asked those from Srinagar city to offer prayers at Eidgah but the response came from even the most distant places in the country.
Many people complained of barriers in reaching the maidan. They said they had to cross many deterring obstacles to reach Srinagar: There were drop-gates, long multi-layered coils of concertina wires blocking roads forcing vehicles to take diversions. But no one spoke of any use of force by securitymen, an indication that governor N N Vohra���s administration still continues with its exemplary restraint.
Convoys of Kashmiris started at 2.30 pm, when Friday prayers were offered they were still gushing out of the nearly-choked Safa Kadal lane. All roads were actually leading to Eidgah and so huge was the crowd that volunteers stopped vehicles around two km ahead from all sides. Singing and dancing on newest azadi and pro-Pakistan tunes, the host population would stop them almost every 20 meters to offer water, bread and juice. In festive mood, there were men, women and children of all ages���even a few crippled on self-driven cycle chairs.
Earlier in the day, police said, not less than five youth were electrocuted in south Kashmir when they were shouting slogans atop a bus. One of them is presumed to have expired in hospital.
A young group singled out itself as it carried two new drums. Barring ���go go, India go���, they were not interested in any other slogan. They did lend drumbeats to some ���smash hit��� slogans but were not part of it actually.
Praising the slain, Eidgah���s Mazar-e-Shuhda was too crowded as most of the people came visiting turmoil���s tragic landmark. An aged man helped by his relative was almost lost in the cemetery while finding somebody���s grave. There were women ��� young and old, touching and kissing the gravestones.
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The cemetery is still surging. The last corpse that was lowered in the grave there was that of Hurriyat leader Abdul Aziz Sheikh, who was mowed down in Baramulla outskirts while heading the march for opening the trans-LoC Jhelum valley Road. Mostly, the people were carrying black and green flags. Some groups���mostly from the countryside���had kept specific identity marks on flags so that the people they were carrying along are not lost in the crowd. There were a few flags with names of militant outfits like al-Umar and Lashkar written on it. For the first time, there was attendance from Banihal, Doda and even Kishtwar���Jammu���s Muslim belts. There were Gujjars, Paharis and a huge population of Shia Muslim as well. For the first time there was no distinction between those preaching puritanical Islam and those following the Barealvi order, even on the pulpit.
Apart from India, the intense hate was directed towards Kashmir two main unionist political parties���the NC and PDP. Apparently the Hurriyat and Co-ordination Committee had asked those from Srinagar city to offer prayers at Eidgah but the response came from even the most distant places in the country.
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