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| Srinagar divided over hartal call | | Shutdown in Mirwaiz's downtown, civil lines remain open | | ET Report
srinagar, Dec 5: A partial shutdown was observed in Srinagar on Saturday in response to a strike call by the traders body of downtown city.
A complete shutdown was observed in downtown areas considered as stronghold of senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq while it was a normal day in other areas of Srinagar particularly the civil lines where markets remained opened.
Even as Shaher-e-Khaas Coordination Committee, comprising of associations including Jamia Market Federation, backed by Mirwaiz had given a call for complete shutdown in entire Srinagar district, the call drew partial response.
The strike call was given to protest, "police action" including teargas shelling against protesters in Jamia Masjid locality on Friday after congregational prayers at the historic mosque. No sooner Mirwaiz had left the mosque after an anti-India speech at Jamia, anti-Government protests had erupted in the area with police being forced to disperse the mob. Pakistani flags were also constantly waved in the area.
Following the police action against protesters, the Shaher-e-Khaas Coordination Committee had given a call for strike in entire summer capital today.
The hartal call was instantly carried by Srinagar-based dailies on websites and subsequently in the print edition.
Much to the dismay of the Mirwaiz faction, not a single shop observed shutdown anywhere in areas other than the congested downtown. "For that matter, even the areas like Baba Demb which are just next to the downtown didn't pay any heed to strike call," said a police official.
He said it was a big victory for those who want to an end to hartal politics that commercial hubs like Lal Chowk observed a normal day. "This is a healthy development and this wedge should further," he added.
Mirwaiz had yesterday equated the police action against protesters as "undeclared war" on the people of downtown and was hopeful to get a tremendous response from strike call against the Government.
His loyalist, president of Jamia Market Traders Federation, had appealed traders of entire district to support the call. "We have always supported the traders of other areas including the civil lines and we hope that they will stand by us for unity," the president had said.
But today's mixed response punctured the aspirations of Mirwaiz. Interestingly some days back Mirwaiz had called a meeting at his party headquarters in downtown to seek for alternatives to hartal politics.
But yesterday when he wanted to show his power and popularity to the Government, he backed the hartal call. |
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