Jammu, Oct 7: In the stepped up attack against the ruling National Conference (NC) on the  alleged custodial death of NC worker, Syed Muhammad Yousuf, largest opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday hit the streets in the winter capital of the state, leading to violent clashes between police and PDP workers that left at least eight persons injured.
 Hundreds of PDP workers assembled outside the party headquarters at Gandhi Nagar to take part in the protest march against the “political payoff” which they alleged was the sole reason for custodial death of the NC worker.
 Carrying party flags and placards, the protestors reiterated their demand for the resignation of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, alleging he was leading a “corrupt government”.
 As soon as the PDP workers  started their march towards City Chowk in old city, policemen created a barricade to prevent them moving forward.
 It also led to scuffle between angry protestors and policemen, with latter resorting to cane charge. Eight PDP activists were injured in police action.
IANS adds
Hazare turning blind eye to corruption in Kashmir: Mehbooba
 Accusing anti-corruption campaigners like Anna Hazare and political leaders of turning a "blind eye to the rampant corruption and shocking political crimes in Kashmir", Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said this apathy towards the state "is the tragedy of Kashmiris".
 The custodial death of a worker of NC worker had not been taken up by Hazare and others as they wanted to safeguard the "so-called national interest" for public consumption in India, the opposition leader alleged.
 "The apathy of Hazare or other activists or the political leaders in India towards developments in (Kashmir) Valley is the tragedy of Kashmiris. If an incident like the death of Yousuf happened in some other state, they would have shouted from the rooftops," Mehbooba told IANS.
 "They all are turning a blind eye to the rampant corruption and shocking political crimes in Kashmir."
 "All political developments and incidents of atrocities in Kashmir were looked at through the "prism of national interest by the civil society, politicians and even media. "If this is the approach, I am afraid those who indulge in undemocratic acts and corruption in Kashmir will have a field day," she added.
 "All remember how forcefully the Indian media and activists took up the Jessica Lall murder case. Why not even an iota of that initiative on the Yousuf death case?" she asked, referring to the 1999 murder of the Delhi model and the public pressure that led to the conviction of the accused.
 According to Mehbooba, Abdul Salam Reshi, another NC worker, has told a television channel that he was a witness to the interaction between Omar Abdullah and Yousuf, which ended in heated arguments.
 Mehbooba also criticized civil society for not protesting the release of the names of some 1,300 rape victims in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly recently. "If such a thing happened in the rest of the country, the activists and politicians would have brought down the heavens. Since it was Kashmir, nothing happened." While the names of rape victims with details such as their parentage was made public, nothing was mentioned about the rapists. Under opposition pressure, the Chief Minister had to apologize for the act, she added.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST