Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 6: A group of transporters today staged a protest here against the shutdowns which are part of ongoing agitation spearheaded by separatists from past three months in Kashmir Valley.
Witnesses said a small group of transporters appeared in Press Enclave along with fewer kids and women and staged the protest against shutdown calls. The protesters were holding placards inscribed with slogans like ‘stop oppressing us’.
Talking to reporters, one of the protesters said the shutdowns have adversely affected their livelihood and they are unable to meet their both ends. “We are asking for our right. Our children are dying for want of two-time bread. Till now, this (agitation) has happened in 2008, 2010 and now in 2016 but we fail to understand is seeking Azadi only for transporters?” headed.
“Don’t they (separatists) realize that we too have children and families behind us? We want to tell Syed Ali Shah Geelani to come and see our houses,” said one of the aggrieved protesters.
Lashing out at separatists, the protesters said that their children are living outside the State but the children of poor are getting killed here. “We are fed up of all this… and we are now compelled to come out on streets,” they said.
As the protesters were speaking to media, a group of youth standing nearby assaulted them for apparently speaking against the ongoing separatist agitation. The youths were however chased by police but one of the alleged assailants was nabbed by police. He was identified as Mushtaq Malik of Lasjan area of Srinagar.
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