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| Hurriyat's hartal call loses steam | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 2: In a major setback to the "united" Hurriyat, the people of Kashmir have started open defiance of the protest calendar, with officials saying that only reopening of Lal Chowk is awaited for restoration of full normalcy in the Valley.
A government spokesman said whereas around 1.5 lakh students have resumed schooling in the Valley last week, Sunday brought more hope as hawkers resumed their business in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk and adjoining areas.
Movement of auto-rickshaws and Tata Sumo has also been restored to a large extent. Sources said the development has brought a sigh of relief for the PDP-led coalition government, which was struggling to restore normalcy in the Valley after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani and his two colleagues on July 8.
Officials said the "game of patience through wait and watch worked wonders." "Basically, having been confined indoors with no work or education for children, the people got fed up and decided to defy the hartal," said an official.
At a high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to review the situation, it was said that life has considerably limped back to normal and that the only thing missing was "reopening of markets between Poloview and Hari Singh High Street", which is barely a mile long stretch.
Officials said efforts were on to persuade the traders of this area to get back to normal business. Sources said the government would offer a "carrot and stick policy" to the 3000 odd traders of this area. "Those who go with the government appeal will reap benefits whereas those who with Hurriyat will meet Hurriyat's fate," said an official pleading anonymity.
Sources said a newly constituted forum of business fraternity was very much in touch with the government and trying to utilize its good offices for a pact between the traders and the administration.
A top official said the government has prioritized reopening of shops in Lal Chowk and its vicinity. "The impression of hartal is given by the mere one kilometer radius of market surrounding Lal Chowk. If this opens, normalcy will be fully visible as other areas have already defied the Hurriyat calendar," the official told Early Times.
Meanwhile, the disheartened Hurriyat conference led by Syed Ali Geelani is likely to call a meeting of the united forum of separatists this week to decide future course of action. Otherwise for the last around one month, Geelani has been unilaterally giving hartal call.
"There's every possibility that the protest calendar will be called off in a phased manner. In the next protest program the Hurriyat will extend relaxation by three hours and in the subsequently week the hartal will be over through this honourable exit of increase in relaxation," said a Hurriyat insider. |
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