Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 10: As the shutdown entered 12th day in Pulwama town of South Kashmir, there is no solution in sight to the row over the installation of a militant memorial with people and administration continue to be at logger heads with each other over the same.
The local residents are adamant over the demand of installing an insignia in memory of local and foreign militants killed in gunfights with security forces over the past years. The locals raised the demand after a local militant, Umais Ahmad, was killed by security forces in a firefight at Ajas in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Though couple of attempts were made by local residents to install the insignia at ‘Shaheed Park’ in the Town but the security forces foiled the same by teargas shelling. To defuse the tensions, the district administration and local Auqaf Committee and Traders’ Federation held several rounds of talks over the memorial row but due to rigid stand of both the parties no solution was found.
Sources said the Government also sought the help of an influential separatist leader but he too failed to convince the local youth. During the course of 12 days, police detained several youths whom they blame for being behind the whole agitation but the demand is getting louder day by day as people from other areas too have extended their support.
The district administration has been caught in a catch 22 situation as they don’t want things to get out of control by using the means of force. A senior official said: “You see we cannot allow any illegal act. This is illegal and in no way can be allowed but people don’t understand this. We held several rounds of talks but all in vain.”
“We are caught in a mess. We have to manage both police and locals. We cannot run away from this situation and we want an end to this whole mess,” he said. The senior official said that the support from other quarters to the demand including by some separatists is “worrisome”.
Due to the continuous shutdown, the transporters and shopkeepers claim losses worth Rs 1 crore. The commercial activities in the otherwise busy Pulwama town have come to a complete halt. Now police – in an attempt to provide relief to locals – have established fruits and vegetable stalls. The medicine shops, however, have been exempted from the shutdown.
With Auqaf Committee and Traders Federation calling on locals to march towards the ‘Shaheed Park’ on Monday for the installation of militant insignia, the district administration is all set to scuttle the march and police have already detained nearly a dozen youth in nocturnal raids. The district authorities would likely impose restrictions tomorrow in the Town to foil any attempt by locals to install the memorial.
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