Authorities on Tuesday thwarted a scheduled protest by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Srinagar, detaining several senior leaders of the party who had gathered to raise public issues, including the rising electricity tariffs, acute drinking and irrigation water shortages, and the demand to shift Kashmiri detainees back to local jails.
The protest, which was to be held outside the PDP headquarters in Srinagar, was aimed at drawing attention to the growing hardships faced by the people. However, a strong police contingent was deployed in advance, and no one was allowed to step out of the party office.
A senior PDP leader told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the protest was entirely peaceful and people-centric, but was foiled. “All our top leaders were detained even before they could step out. This is unacceptable in a democratic setup,” the leader said.
Among those detained were PDP General Secretaries Advocate Abdul Haq Khan and Muhammad Khurshid Alam, senior leader and former minister Advocate Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, party spokesperson Muhammad Iqbal Tramboo, additional spokesperson Shokia Qurashi, former MLAs Sheikh Noor Mohammad and Gulzar Ahmad Wani, District Presidents Abdul Qayoum Bhat (Srinagar) and Muhammad Yaseen Bhat (Budgam), Arif Laigaroo, District President Women’s Wing Srinagar Sara Nayeema, District President Women’s Wing Budgam Tabasum Khan, and senior party member Sheikh Saba.
The PDP has condemned the government’s move, terming it an attempt to muzzle democratic voices. The party reiterated that the protest was planned to highlight genuine public grievances and to press for the repatriation of Kashmiri detainees lodged in jails outside the region.
“This administration wants to silence every voice of dissent. We were only raising issues that matter to the common people,” a party spokesperson said.
Despite the restrictions and detentions, the PDP said it will continue to raise public issues through democratic means. [KNT]
