Senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehboob Beg on Thursday said that the ban of civilian movement on the Jammu and Kashmir highway is not only shocking but illegal as well.
“It not only shocking but patently illegal as well that weare being enslaved and asked to refrain from using our national highway. I findit hard to draw a parallel to this even if I go back to the times when Indiawas ruled by the British,” Beg said, in a statement
He asked how the government and administration seek tojustify the contradicting stands.
“On one hand they have declared Jammu and Kashmir fit forholding Parliament elections and on the other side under the garb of the deterioratingsecurity scenario they stop the residents from using their own roads. How dothe two go hand-in-hand,” Beg asked.
“This does not only trample the very basic human rights, butalso affects Kashmir’s financial health,” said Beg.
Beg also lashed out at the BJP, saying its growing clamorfor removing Article 370/35-A was a very dangerous election gimmick, therepercussions of which the BJP itself does not seem to understand.
While the army stationed in the Valley has said they don’thave any information about the closure of the highway, the outgoing union HomeMinister Rajnath Singh has said that he would not revoke the order banning thecivilian movement.
According to the order issued last week, the highway fromBaramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu will remain closed everyWednesday and Sunday till May 31 to ensure movement of the forces’ personnelfor the election purpose.