Srinagar: Fresh restrictions were imposed in the city and other parts of the Kashmir Valley as a preventive measure ahead of Friday congregational prayers, officials said.
Restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPc were announced on public address system. People have been asked not to venture outside and barricades have been placed.
Normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir Valley for the 26th consecutive day, with markets closed and public transport off the roads.
While landline telephony services have resumed in many parts of the valley, mobile telephone services and all Internet services continue to remain suspended since 5 August after the Centre’s move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two union territories.
Most of the top level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including three former chief ministers — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — have either been detained or placed under house arrest.
Also read: Beyond Article 370, we must ask if the J&K bifurcation was constitutional
I refer to Mr.Shekhar Gupta’s “Cut the Clutter ” re communication clampdown.
The reference to Operation Bluestar and the potential for rumours causing severe damage.
Can we state that the present situation is a more complex because of the very high risk of fake news through social media ?
One redeeming feature is that only the Pakistan Govt is whipping up passions predicting bloodshed. Even those sections of Indian media who have been highly critical of the Govt., have not indicated anything of that nature.
With heavily biased social media groups who are on overdrive, which is the bigger risk ? Clampdown or keeping communication channels open.
It may be a trickle, but the world is turning its gaze to Kashmir. A few members of the US Congress are expressing their concerns. American and British diplomats have called on MEA. Action – mainly preventive in nature – taken against individuals in the interests of forestalling a possible outbreak of violence is one thing. However, for the entire populace to be put to so much hardship is becoming difficult to justify. The higher judiciary can hold on for only so long. The constitutional issues surrounding the abrogation will now go to a Constitution Bench.