Srinagar: A ‘people’s curfew’ seems to be taking shape in Kashmir as the Modi government eases restrictions imposed after the abrogation of Article 370, with shopkeepers keeping their shops shut, students staying away from schools, public transport staying off the roads and petrol pumps opening only for half the day.
Shutdowns have been a regular part of life in Kashmir since the heyday of the militancy in the 1980s-90s, with separatists frequently ordering shutdowns to protest against alleged state or Army excesses.
However, the one currently sweeping through the Valley appears to be a civilian initiative, gaining steam via word of mouth amid restricted communication services.
While the state government has refuted the possibility of a public-powered shutdown, local residents told ThePrint that they were mounting a boycott to invalidate the government’s bid to project “normalcy” in the Valley.
Shops
Shops and shopping complexes at the city centre, Lal Chowk, considered the heart of Srinagar, remained shut Wednesday, the 17th day since the abrogation of Article 370 and third since restrictions on civilian movement began to be eased over the weekend.
Most of the shopkeepers who spoke to ThePrint requested anonymity amid reports of massive arrests that have been carried out since 4 August to thwart unrest.
However, almost all of them admitted that a “civilian curfew” has begun in Kashmir.
“What they wanted to do, they did in the last three weeks,” said a stationer based at Lal Chowk. “Now it’s our turn.”
Zahoor Ahmed, who has a shop in Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar area, added that the government’s lockdown was an “attempt to break us, that’s all”.
“They wanted to abrogate Article 370. That has been in the BJP’s manifesto ever since the party was formed,” he said. “There was no violence or protests when 370 was abrogated, so what is the meaning of blocking communications, arresting thousands?”
Another shopkeeper said, “The government wants to show everything is normal here. Even though there is a communication blackout, we will tell the world that things are not normal in Kashmir.”
ThePrint visited the offices of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce, the main trade body of the Valley, to seek comment, but found the premises closed.
Schools
Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal announced Sunday that primary schools in Kashmir will reopen Monday. However, Kashmir director of school education Younis Malik told the media Monday evening that the attendance at schools was “thin”.
The state government claimed Tuesday, while announcing the opening of middle schools from Wednesday, that attendance had improved.
However, when ThePrint visited 19 schools Wednesday, they were all closed.
Waseem Kuchey, the secretary of JK Public School at Humhama, said they had not been able to contact their staff.
“Parents are hesitant to drop their wards at schools amid the snapping of communications,” he added. “We have also failed to contact our faculty.”
The school has 2,000 students and 250 employees.
The Kashmir Valley School, located at the highly-secure airport road, was shut as well, with only peons turning up Wednesday.
“No one is inside. Just us peons,” said one of the staffers.
Institutes in Lal Chowk, downtown Srinagar and other parts of the city, both primary and middle schools, haven’t opened either.
A parent out to check the status at Tyndale Biscoe, Srinagar’s oldest school, located near Lal Chowk, said, “I wouldn’t be at peace with my children at school when there is communication blackout.”
Kansal had said this week that they had received requests from parents to reopen schools. However, the government did not specify how the requests were received when most communication lines remain closed.
Also read: Article 370 gone, BJP now wants to make Jammu & Kashmir a religious tourism hub
Petrol stations
During all periods of civil unrest in Kashmir, in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2016, petrol stations have remained closed during the day and opened only in the evening. The same thing is happening now.
Approached for comment, a staffer at a petrol pump downtown said, “There is a civilian curfew.” When asked who informed him, the staffer responded, “No one is opening their businesses or shops. That’s why we, too, remain closed during the day.”
Public transport
Nearly three weeks since the abrogation of Article 370, public transport remains invisible in Srinagar: The only vehicles seen around are either private or those belonging to security forces.
SUVs such as Tata Sumo, Chevrolet Tavera, Mahindra Xylo, which operate as cabs in the Valley, only ply early morning or in the evening.
A youth named Mushtaq Ahmed, who identified himself as a government employee, said he had travelled from Kupwara to Srinagar Wednesday — a distance of 86 km — when he heard that government offices had reopened Monday.
He left his home around 5 am to report to office at 9 am.
“There were a couple of cabs at the Kupwara bus stand headed for Srinagar. They dropped us off at Lal Chowk, but they had to leave the district by 7 am,” he added. “They also told us that they will head back (to Kupwara) only after 6 pm. So, I am hoping to catch the cab back home.”
Talking about the curtailed hours, a cab driver said he didn’t want to take risks. “There is very less public transport on the roads these days. I don’t want to take the risk,” he added.
State government officials, however, told ThePrint that the situation in Kashmir was normalising, and denied that there was a “civilian curfew” in place.
“Many shops are open and schools have been asked to start class work,” an official said. “Situation is improving here at its own pace.”
Also read: Kashmiris must know their battle isn’t against India but against RSS-BJP ideology
This is just misnomer that removal of art.370 has created more agitation/ problem in kashmir valley.In fact,when art.370 was there,at that time also lawlessness was there to the same level.If that so let it be without 370.In any case problem will not improve as the same is provocated by pakistan.Till date pakistan has not forgotten 1971 humilliation and bent on taking revenge .kashmir is softest target where pak can create problems & that they doing.Infact vontinuation of 370 has given much more advantage to affluent people as they are not answerable to any misdeeds committed and siphoning of billions of money.common people were actually the sufferer due this 370.
370 was God send for Sangh parivar. RSS was able to set up political BJS and then new version BJP. If parties who supported 370 exploited it for political reasons for nearly 70 years, now BJP would exploit abrogation, they would pitch people two region against each other for next seventy years. The real victims are People of valley.
Whenever I read the news of public protests in Kashmir, most of the time I see it happened in Srinagar or surrounding areas. The whole picture can be clear if we get the situation from other areas of the lands affected by removal of article 370 including Jammu and Ladakh as people from other areas look happy with this movement of Modi government.
So let us start by eliminating you Sunder ;).
Haha…Vajir aka Rajiv
Sure, at present many in Kashmir are angry with the government. But let us not forget, the Pakistani militants along with a lot of propaganda and misinformation from that State which ruined Kashmir. It is time to restore it. Kashmiris brothers and sisters will help, InshaAllah.
Do you expect Modi has a magic wand to transform things 180 degree in weeks? It will take sometime, slowly but surely people will come to terms and the progress will begin.
What’s important is to keep anti social elements at bay, govern the unions in a transparent and safe manner, and let the people start living normal life which they aren’t used to.
I am hopeful and I believe so are many countrymen.
Kashmir has been troubled state for long, right from the beginning and also when Nehru forced arrest of Sheik Abdullah who was in jail for 9 long years. It was easy for stake holders whipping religion to keep the fire burning, turning out into exodus of Kashmiri minorities. Unless they are handled firmly, trouble creators will always take upper hand. No one say a word when Chinese take a firm stand on Uighur minorities. Trouble makers need to be eliminated, whether local or imported ones.
It took centuries to de-Indianise Kashmir. Now it will take centuries to re-Indianise. More power to Modi.
Agreed so speed up the process round up the leaders and ship to reeducation mental health correction centers, shops need money , find out who pays them and how , when they stay closed , ..and make it safe for them to open..
It will take a few weeks to come out of the denial. The last 15 days the world community has firmly demonstrated nobody supports small Muslim population demanding a separate country with Burhan Wani as their hero.
Modi receiving UAE’s highest honor, G7 (62% global wealth) countries hosting Modi will reinforce this message.
Nobody believes propaganda on human rights and oppression in Kashmir.
UAE award? Ha!Ha!
Now this is real propaganda. Who cares about UAE awards?
Lk I sai, we understand ur frustrations, Vajir
Thank you very much Sunny! You sure have a sunny nature. But despite that sunny name, your seem to be very cold. Maybe Kashmir is the right place for you? Why don’t you go and give a helping hand to the Armed Forces there?
The one piece of good news coming out of the Valley is that there has been no loss of precious lives. That record should be maintained. This is also required to keep international pressures at bay. For the rest, as and when protests take place, there should be an understanding on both sides : no violence or stone pelting and no use of lethal force. The media should also be permitted to report on the ground situation. 2. The proposed Investors’ Summit of October could be deferred.
Are you sure that there’s been no loss of life? How will you know if there’s a news blackout?
Hope the Kashmiris will learn from Mahatma Gandhi the art of non-violent protest, as they seem to be doing. Not even stone throwing please.