Internet services have been suspended in the Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
Locals who spoke to The Kashmiriyat said that the internet has been shut in the Rajouri and Poonch district in view of the ongoing protests against the JK reservation bill introduced by the Indian parliament.
The Gujjar and Bakerwal activists have been opposing the bill for the last several months stating that the bill grants reservation to the upper castes of the Gujjar Bakerwal society and cuts into their reservation.
From the past several days, the agitation against the bills has intensified across the Jammu Kashmir region with activists asking the government to withdraw the bill, which tribal activists believe is aimed to divide the vote bank of the Gujjar and Bakerwal community.
Meanwhile the Gujjar Bakerwal Students Alliance has said that a massive crackdown has been launched against the community and scores of activists have been detained across the region.
“Despite assurances of representation and protection of our rights, we continue to witness our freedoms trampled upon. As the third-largest community in Jammu and Kashmir, we wield significant electoral influence capable of reshaping the political landscape, and we are acutely aware of the value of our votes and intend to determine the outcomes of the Rajouri, Anantnag, and Baramulla seats,” they said in a press release.
The BJP must refrain from diluting and politicizing the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status of Gujjar Bakerwals, they said.
The “anti-tribal bill” currently under consideration in parliament poses a dire threat to our identity and the well-being of 4 million lives, read the statement.