SRINAGAR: A complete shutdown was observed across Kashmir and parts of Jammu region on Saturday against upholding of the autocratic era ban by Jammu bench of J&K High Court directing police to ensure strict ban on beef sale and consumption in the state.
The shutdown call given by separatists had evoked near total response with business establishments, educational institutions and govt offices locked down.
An undeclared curfew was clamped on a vast area of the old city with CRPF patrolling the streets and enforcing the curbs that virtually confined half a million population to indoors, without any prior announcement.
Pertinently, the ban has created a public outcry in Kashmir with people terming it a direct interference in religious matters. As ire peaked up, protests rocked many parts of valley. Besides at a number of places residents slaughtered bovines in defiance of the court order.
Despite heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel, people staged demonstrations in Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Sopore, Shopian, Pattan and other towns to express their resentment against the court ruling. Government forces used force on the demonstrators at various places injuring several persons. People also slaughtered more bovines across Kashmir including Srinagar and South Kashmir.
The authorities kept Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Zafar Akbar Butt, Hilal Ahmad War, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Showkat Ahmed Bakhshi and Qazi Yasir Ahmad under house arrest to prevent them from leading the demonstrations.
Hurriyet leaders including Geelani, Mirwaiz, Shabbir Shah, Aasiya Andrabi in their statements hailed the Kashmiri people for protesting against the anti-Muslim court verdict. They said that the Kashmiris would not accept a decree that declares halal food unlawful for them.
Protesters paint vehicles with blood
Anantnag: Many among hundreds of protesters gave a went to their anger on Saturday when they painted passing vehicles with the slogans of freedom with the blood of slaughtered animals in Anantnag district.
I was here in 2008 and I felt the 2008 situation like today. Everywhere people had blocked the roads and I fail to understand why the court or government come up with such decisions that provoke the people, said a tourist from Mumbai Rajeev Mishra.
Reports said that thousands of people in Bindoo Kokarnag area took to streets and staged an anti-India protest. The protesters blocked the road and didnt allow any vehicle to pass the road. The protesters slaughtered a cow and with its blood painted every passing vehicle with the slogans of freedom, Hum kya chahatya, Aazadi, said a local adding that the situation in the area was tense and protesters had total control over the area. (CNS)
Only Rich Eat mutton Here
BARAMULLA: Hundreds of people associated with beef business Saturday staged a protest against court decree in North Kashmirs Pattan town.
The meat sellers who own hundreds of shops in North Kashmir said that beef ban will badly affect their business. It will not only affect us but will affect disproportionately affect the poor people, protesters said.
The suppliers as well as butchers who were part of the protest said that only rich people tend to eat meet while poor people prefer to consume beef. We have been doing this business since generations and if court order is implemented, we will suffer heavily, they said.
Abdul Rehman, who owns a small beef shop in Baramulla said that they will give no heed to the court order and will continue to sell and supply beef. We will start a state wide agitation if we are asked to close our shops. There is already unemployment in the state and it will be injustice if government will implement the court order. We fail to understand how beef can be banned in Kashmir where majority population consumes it, he said.
The protesters appealed to the government to challenge the court order and find ways and means to scrap the section under RPC that prohibits slaughtering of bovine animals.
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