The Group of Concerned Citizens, comprising of civil society members, across communities and regions, including jurists, former civil servants academicians, journalists, businessmen and social activists, has urged the Government of India, to lift the blanket ban on the use of Srinagar-Jammu national highway by civilian vehicles twice a week— Wednesday and Sunday.
In a statement a GCC said that the group has gathered fromthe media reports that even the Army has objected to the contents of the order.”The Army convoy has been moving on other days as well, because of whichcivilians suffer further harassment as their movement is subjected toadditional restrictions,” it said.
“We observe with concern the manner in which the ban iscausing severe hardships to the public and impacting Kashmir’s economy, tradeand education. The movement on the highway has already been severely hitbecause of inclement weather conditions and it is pertinent to point out thatthe Jammu-Srinagar national highway is the main life-line to the Valley andcrucial for the existence of the people,” the statement said.
“The present ban has specially hit the patients who areunable to reach hospitals and other health care institutions on time,jeopardising their health. The permit system adopted by the government to allowmovement of patients, ambulances and wedding parties is impractical and iscausing immense harassment to ordinary citizens,” it added
“It is also a mockery of democracy if people have to takewritten permits for carrying on their day to day lives, and also for takingpart in the process of Parliamentary elections, which has already commenced.While we have no issues with adopting a proper safety protocol for ensuresafety of the security forces, we are of the view that the ban/restrictions, inthe present form, are totally unjustified, and militate against the fundamentalrights of the citizens, as guaranteed by the Indian Constitution,” thestatement added.
“In view of the undemocratic nature of the ban, thepractical difficulties in its implementation and the humanitarian crisis it iscausing in Kashmir, we demand that the ban be lifted immediately and alternatemeans be found to ensure safety of the para-military troops during theirtransportation without causing hardships to the public and violating theirfundamental rights,” it said.