Majid Jahangir, Srinagar
A bandh has been called in Kashmir to mark the first anniversary of the devastating flood that killed 300 hundred people and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless.
The bandh call has been given by Kashmir Traders Association, supported by separatist and mainstream parties.
They are complaining that the government has not fulfilled their promises to rehabilitate the flood victims despite being power for six months.
The bandh, so far, has had crippling effects on the normal life as there are no vehicles on the road and business establishment completely closed.
Imran Bhatt, a shopkeeper from Bemina in Srinagar, told www.jantakareporter.com, ” We are observing complete shutdown today to mark the first flood anniversary. The purpose of this bandh is also to show our anger against government’s empty promises which it made since floods devastated our lives. Nothing has been done for flood victims.”
(Centre’s relief package for Kashmir is a joke, say traders)
Meanwhile, police detained Kashmir Trade Union leaders on Monday ahead of Lal Chowk march.
Sources in the Trade Union told www.jantakareporter.com that police in the early hours on Monday detained Kashmir Trade Union leader Mohmad Yasin Khan and Showkat Choudhry to thwart their protest program.
Separatist leaders Yasin Malik and Shabbir Ahmad Shah have already been put under house arrest as they had supported Kashmir Traders’ bandh call for Monday.
Other separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq too have extended their support to today’s bandh.
The civil society in Kashmir has condemned the arrests of the trade union leaders ahead of their planned protest march.