Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

For those who claim that the azaadi movement is dead…this is the fifth straight day that all of Kashmir has been virtually shut down by impromptu anti-India protests… **

Tens of Thousands hit Indian Kashmir Streets in protest

** SRINAGAR, India (AFP) — Tens of thousands of people poured onto the streets of Indian Kashmir’s main city Friday in some of the largest pro-freedom protests in the Muslim-majority region in almost two decades.

The demonstrations, which marked the fifth straight day of upheaval in the disputed Himalayan province, began as displays of anger over the transfer of land to a Hindu pilgrim body before growing into larger anti-India rallies.

Three Kashmiris have died this week and nearly 200 have been injured, evoking memories of widespread protests that swept the region after a separatist insurgency broke out in 1989.

Witnesses said the latest protests had a huge backing.

“It is one of the biggest pro-freedom marches I have witnessed,” said Joginder Singh, a resident of the Lal Chowk commercial area, one of several spots in summer capital Srinagar where thousands were gathered.

Chanting “We want freedom” and “Stop the sale of Kashmir”, the marchers passed through stone and brick-littered streets and tore down banners and billboards of pro-India parties as federal troops watched from a distance, an AFP reporter and witnesses said.

Large numbers of armed security personnel patrolled sensitive areas of the city Friday, the day Muslims offer congregational prayers.

In the heart of the city police, who have been urged by local officials to show restraint, retreated before the swelling crowds.

After Friday afternoon prayers, thousands of worshippers emerged from Srinagar’s main mosque and also started marching towards Lal Chowk, with thousands more joining them along the way.

Some in the crowd carried banners that read “India leave Kashmir” while others among the protesters shouted pro-Pakistan slogans.

But top separatist leaders were absent, with authorities having placed many of them under house arrest.

On the outskirts of the heavily guarded city, police broke up half-a-dozen small protests by firing in the air and using tear gas. Police said they also used force in four other towns in the valley.

Banks, post offices, schools and offices were closed in Srinagar Friday and there was little traffic.

The unrest was sparked by a state government decision last week to transfer some land to a Hindu trust for the construction of accommodation for tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims making an annual pilgrimage to a mountain grotto.

Tensions are still high despite a promise by the state’s chief minister that no construction activity would be permitted until further notice.

Kashmir Valley police chief S.M. Sahai said police were trying to talk to civic leaders in Srinagar “so that normal situation could be restored as soon as possible.”

Insurgency-hit Kashmir is held in part by nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, but claimed by both in full, and has remained a sticking point in negotiations between the two.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jzHRCSdVOoN4swo-6hDP3rzuCtGA

2

This has been a shameless act of religious bigotry by a section of people in Kashmir. This is the reason why Kashmiri Pandits had to leave from here, a section of the popluation is very communal and would go to any lengths to create an atmosphere of hatred.

3

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

The "shameless bigots" want the administration of pilgrimage to be handed over to native Kashmiri Pandits, as it has been for the past few thousand years. What they're protesting against is the illegal sale of Kashmiri land to a non-Kashmiri, communal organization.

4

The yatra was never administered by Kashmiri Pandits ..... it was administered by State government. Now the "Shri Amarnath Shrine Board" has been constituted by the J&K government .... this is on similar lines as the "Vashnodevi trust "in Jammu. Land has been alloted to Vashnodevi trust with out anyone shouting blue murder. There is no sale of any land to any communal organisation. Get your facts

5

in few days the yatra will be finished and everything will be cooled down by that time

6

You have no idea what you're talking about.

The "state government" didn't even exist before India occupied the state 60 years ago. The local people of Islamabad had been taking care of accommodations for the yatris for centuries if not millennia before.

A board without a single Kashmiri member, owning and administering over Kashmiri land is entirely unacceptable. Moreover, a week long yatra doesn't warrant the destruction 100 of acres of our forest land for the construction of permanent settlements. It's nothing more than a poorly disguised ploy by you communally-minded Indians to start settling in our state.

The Indian government has been working diligently since 1947 to radically alter the demographics of Jammu...at this point it's a lost cause. But you people are deluding yourselves if you think we're going to let you pull the same kind of stunt in Kashmir.

7

ahhh, everything happens as god decides

8

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

I think it's a very good idea to build support structures for the yatris. It should also be used for other tourism purposes.

As to protests etc. Indians do protest a lot. There are people protesting hike in gas prices, Ram Setu canal project, every dam build-out, river inter-links, ....you name it there's a 10000 that show up to protest. Protesting is in the Indian DNA.

But I think given the forthcoming elections, the govt will probably withdraw the transfer/sale of the land. They have too many issues that affects their votes .

9

Changing demographics ...... look who is talking . More then 400 thousand Kashmiri pandits have been forced to move from kashmir and you are complaining about changing demographics. If you make all the Kashmiri pandits stand on land , they will need more then 100 acres of land.

So please enlighted me since 1947 how many people have been shifted to Jammu? Infact the people who came to J&K in 1947 from Pakistan, even they have not been made state subject, so how can you make a claim like this?

Now wher does Islamabad come in !!!!!!! There you go again changing names of places as it suits you.

10

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

Again Janaab has to deal with retards but she is holding her own with smart sensible replies and making the others squirm. Keep it up!

11

You wanted to eliminate any trace of hindu culture in Kashmir making it another of those funny republic based solely on sheria.
I could understand if Kashmiris made it an issue when people of other part of India go and occupy these areas, but in 60 years there is no big scale settlement in kASHMIR valley by people of other Indian states.

12

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

^ there we go. the unwarranted attacks on Muslims now. why is it that any Muslim majority state must become a "funny republic based solely on sharia". how many countries with sharia laws exist today einstein? and what proportion is that of the total Muslim countries?

Not that there is anything wrong with people wanting sharia, but this is just an attempt to caricaturize Muslims.

13

Was there prior settlement of any kind in Kashmir by other Indians. What motivates you to believe that this land would be used for settling people from other Indian states.?

14

I dont care how many exist. But that's what they (jihadies) wanted, right!!!

Like the post above you
Like the post above you
15

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

not really. jihadies were instrumental in carving away Azad Kashmir from India, but I dont see no sharia laws there.

again, I dont want you to get the idea that sharia is necessarily wrong or right. but this reductionist argument that Kashmiri nationalism must ultimately result in sharia, and thats what you're trying to prevent is silly.

16

This is getting ridiculous. I asked you before. Answer me this. What happened to the Hindus in POK. Where did they vanish too. Were they killed. Were they migrated. What happened to them?

17

You people sure do love your made up "statistics." According to the 1981 census, there were a grand total of 124,000 Hindus in all of Kashmir. Twenty years later, the 2001 census found that, including all refugees, there are a grand total of 220,000 Kashmiri Pandits. Still you people make up ever increasing numbers of Pandits who have allegedly been expelled from Kashmir. I wouldn't be surprised if pretty soon you people will be talking about the "billions upon billions" of Pandits who were forced out. :biggthumb

Moreover, even BJP-allied, Indian puppets like Farooq Abdullah have pointed out that Gov. Jagmohan and the Indian government played a significant role in sparking the Pandit exodus...if anything that's just another example of your government playing with the demographics of the state.

The census data speaks for itself. The Muslim population share of the Indian held territories has fallen from nearly 73% at the time of Partition to 66% in 2001. In the Jammu division, Muslims made up 34% of the population in 1971...just 10 years later, their population share had fallen to 28%. Considering the fact that Muslims tend to have a higher **birth rate than other communities in India (something you Hindus never tire of whining about), not to mention the fact that the Muslim population share in India has been **growing since Partition, it's rather absurd that its been falling dramatically in Jammu & Kashmir.

As I've already pointed out, you don't know what you're talking about.

Islamabad is the town in southern Kashmir by which the Amarnath cave is located. It was founded by a Mughal governor, Islam Khan, and has been referred to as Islamabad by all Kashmiris for centuries. The Dogras and the Indians changed the name to "Anantnag," but Kashmiris still refer to the city/district as Islamabad.

18

I think UN and JKLF forgot history .... better send them a reminder .. it seems it takes some time to post weblinks ... just check the UN maps on kashmir and also go to JKLF website and see what they say about your Islamabad / Anantnag

Anantnag has a history older then the Islamic period in Kashmir (i thought mughals were not really liked by kashmiris)...... but then no point in talking to you about that .... just look at the maps above ..... what do you say

19

Re: Srinagar: Tens of Thousands Protest Illegal Land Sale, Indian Occupation

The name was officially changed during Dogra times...the UN maps reflect the same.

Who cares what you people claim it should be called? The people of Kashmir have called it Islamabad for centuries, and will continue to do so.

20

Explain then why Hindus were driven away from Kashmir. I cannot believe Janab balbbering that jagmohan did all this. There were very learned Kshmiri pandits and historians and believe the Jihadi mentality at the start of 1989 lead to pandits leaving Kashmir. They were systematically targeted and even mosques became preaching ground for hatred against Kashsmiri pandits.