Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 2: National Conference today held protests at several places in Kashmir and expressed dismay over the Union Cabinet’s decision of bringing amendments to the Constitution applicable to J&K Order of 1954 terming it as a blatant violation of Art 370.
In Srinagar a protest rally was taken out from party head quarters, Nawa- e- Subha. The party functionaries from Srinagar and workers took part in the protest. They were holding placards saying ‘stop fiddling with Art 370 and Art 35-A’, ‘united to protect our special status’, ‘save Art 35-A and Art 370’.
Among others party’s senior leader and former Speaker Mubarak Gul, women’s wing president Shamema Firdous, District president Srinagar Peer Afaq, Tanvir Sadiq, Irfan Shah, Showkat Mir, Mushtaq Guroo, Sabiya Qadri, Ahsan Pardesi, Mudasir Shahmiri, G N Tailbali, Kaisar Jalali participated in the protest.
While addressing the rally, Mubarak Gul said that the move is detrimental to the interests of State. “The decision has bypassed the authority of our elected legislature. Governor administration has no popular mandate to make such recommendations which impact our unique identity. It’s the prerogative of the State legislature to bring about amendments to the State Constitution. The recent Union Cabinet decision is a malafied attempt to remove what remains left of our special position, we strongly condemn it,” he said.
The protesting functionaries maintained that the party is not against granting reservation to specific groups; however such a decision should have been left to elected legislature to decide upon.
Similar protests led by respective district presidents were held across Kashmir. In north Kashmir’s Kupwara Qaisar Jamsheed Lone led the protest. In Baramulla the protests were led by Javaid Dar, GN Rahi, Dr Sajad Uri, in Bandipura, the protests were led by Mir Ghulam Rasool Naz.
In South Kashmir the protest rallies against the Union Cabinet’s decision were held at all district headquarters. In Anantnag the protests were led by Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri, in Kulgam the protest was led by incharge Kulgam constituency Imran Nabi Dar and Abdul Rehman Tantray, in Pulwama GM Mir, GN Ratanpuri, and Javaid Rahim Bhat led the protests.
In central Kashmir similar protests were held at Badgam and Ganderbal districts. In Ganderbal the protest was led by district president Sheikh Ishfaq Jabar. In Budgam the protests were led by AM Dar, Abdul Ahad Dar.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
