Irshad Hussain/ Firdous Qadri
Scores of shopkeepers along with children staged a protest at press enclave Srinagar against the handover of their shops to ex-servicemen of the Indian Army. The shopkeepers evicted by the Indian Army expressed strong resentment against this move and sought immediate intervention from the higher authorities.
Holding pro-justice banners and placards they said that after the abrogation of Article 370, they received eviction notices from the army, and they were told that new laws were enacted and they have to vacate the shops.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat Shopkeepers Association President Ghulam Mohiuddin told The Kashmiriyat that before eviction notice they were allowed to renovate their shops.
He said there are around 27 shops inside the cantonment area which has been the source of livelihood to several families for the last 20 years. “We spent 10- 15 lacks for the renovation of our shops and also paid advance amount when the shops were handed over to us. But we are not allowed to go inside the cantonment area anymore.”
After the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the shoppers were handed over eviction notices. “We tried to meet the higher-ups of the Indian Army to appraise the issue with them, but to no avail,” Mohiuddin told The Kashmiriyat. “Such type of shops are running many places in Kashmir, if you want to engage ex-servicemen, engage, we don’t have issues, but do not snatch our livelihood, ” he added.
However, political leaders termed this undemocratic move and said there is customized democracy in Kashmir, where opinions are being criminalized.
A protesting shopkeeper Pawan Kumar Agarwal told The Kashmiriyat that they had been running the shops for the last 25 years, and now they are not being allowed to their shops.
” We want our shops back so that our families can survive. Shops will be given to ex-servicemen, and civilians will be vacated an army told us, ” Kumar said, adding, “We approached the court of law but the irony is that the locks of our shops were broken and goods are thrown out despite the matter being subjudice.”
Zahid sultan another shopkeeper said that Ex-servicemen are already settled and are getting hefty pensions from the government, how can they snatch our livelihood.
” In 2019, they said the new Land laws had enforced now you had to vacate your shops, these ex-servicemen will run our shops, we appealed the LG administration to intervene, ” he said.
The spokesman of PDP said, “Dispossessing someone of his right has increased post-2019 when economic conditions in Kashmir have worsened. When the government should be compensating business, the government is dispossessing people of their property.”
He said be it the pandemic or the lockdowns, everything in Kashmir is being militarized. Further, he added, “Sports are being militarized in Kashmir, trade and tourism is also being militarized.”
He said that on one side PDP leaders have been put in Jail and on the other hand, the government wants to engage in talks. “The Government should launch reconciliation measures before any talks are initiated. Engineer Rasheed and Waheed Para are still in Jails. Dissent has been curbed.”
Najm u Saqib said that the people are being evicted from their lands, shoppers are being thrown out of their shops, leaders being thrown into jails. “We live in a customized democracy where all decisions have a political tendency,” Saqib told The Kashmiriyat.
It’s pertinent to mention here that 27 shops were closed inside the Training School Khrew area of Pampore after the abrogation of article 370 in 2019.
The protesting shopkeepers said that some of the shops have been handed over to ex-servicemen without waiting for the court decision to arrive.
They have appealed to the (GOC) General Commanding Officer 15 Corps and 31 Sub Area Commander to do justice with them and not deprive them of earning a livelihood.
Pertinently 27 shops were closed inside training school Khrew area of Pampore after the abrogation of article 370 in 2019. The protesting shopkeepers said that some of the shops have been handed over to ex-servicemen without waiting for the court decision.
Appealing (GOC) General Commanding Officer 15 Corps and 31 Sub Area Commander to do justice with them and don’t deprive them of earning a livelihood.