Jammu/Srinagar, November 07 (Scoop News) – Taking serious view of recent Shopian incident in which innocent persons were killed by stone pelters, the Chief Minister,. Omar Abdullah has also sanctioned Rs.5 lakh for the kith and kin of such deceased. Earlier the decision was taken to pay 5 lakh for the kith and kin of those who lost their precious life during this recent turmoil.
Today the Chief Minister decided to pay equal amount of compensation to the families of those people who were killed by stone pelters. There has been several occasion earlier also when innocent peoples lost their lives on the hands of stone pelters. Several people were also injured by stone pelters. The latest decision taken by the Chief Minister has been hailed by the peoples particularly large number of mourners who assembled at the residences of those who lost their life as result of stone pelting at Shopian.
The cheques worth Rupees five lakh each were distributed by Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar and Minister for Social Welfare, Ms. Sakina Itoo, who were specially deputed by the Chief Minister to disburse these cheques for families of the victims of the stone pelting.
Meanwhile Large number of people in historical Lal Chowk held anti Hartal rally. People were demonstrating against loss of 2700 crore affecting all sections of the society as a result of four months continuous Hartaal. They were raising slogans against loss of thousands of crores to Bus owners, Matador owners, Sumo owners, Auto owners, Load carrier owners. The demonstrators were asking questions to the rationality, reasonability of resorting unprecedented kind of Hartaala which has no parallel in any civilised society. They were asking question to the perpetrators of Hartaal about the choosing of time particularly from june 1st when actually tourist season starts in Kashmir as a result of which 25 lac tourists who had decided to visit Kashmir during summer changed their destination and spend their holiday time in the neighbouring states HP, Dehradun, Manali, Goa, Delhousi and other places.
They were of the opinion that each Hotelier, Houseboat Walla, Shikara Walla, tourist Taxi Walla, people associated with handicrafts and handloom has faced lot of on slot on economy which has not only broken their backs, but they are not able to pay their monthly interests to the bank not to talk of principal amount which they had taken on loan for renovation and upgradation of their business.
The demonstration were also lamenting on miserable and sick state mind which have pioneered the slogan of no education for people of Kashmir. They were also of the opinion that lakhs of Kashmiris left to other places for the sake of education as schools, colleges and university from 1st to PHD level were locked. They said that it is pride for all civilised society when their sons receive doctorate or PG in different subjects and people definitely celebrate for the same but here in the valley of Kashmir children were stoned for the sin as they desired to go to school. They said if education is a sin then why perpetrators of ideology of locking schools send their kins and kiths to luxurious schools. The demonstrators were openly speaking that the people who throw stones on ambulances on, private vehicles, buses, scooters etc. were doing same for their abnormal monthly emoluments given to them by such perpetrators.
They said Hajis go hajj pilgrimage and the society celebrates the same and shower flowers on them but Kashmir will be only place on earth were hajis were not spared by stonepelters.
They were of the opinion that continuous Hartaal resorted by shopkeepers in particularly in residency road, Lal chowk, HSHS, Magarmal bagh etc, is required to be observed with the fact that maximum of these shops belong to the govt departments like estates, R & B, custodian, SMC and these original allottess have given these on sublet to unauthorised people for running these shops. The customers at large are suffering as a result of continuous Hartaal resorted by these unauthorised shopkeepers.
The demonstrators were of the opinion that perpetrators of violence who owe crores of rupees as tax to govt should be asked to pay their taxes. They should not create abnormal situation to save their taxes and take entire society on ransom.
The demonstrators condemned the killing of truck driver and other people near Shopian, who died due to stone pelting in the area. They said murder case should be lodged not only against the stonepelters but also against all of them who support stone throwing. They were of the opinion that majority of the people are against stone throwing and this is time when we should tell civilised world that Kashmir belongs to us and not to few hundred stone throwers who had not education back ground, reasonability and rationality.
At the time of demonstration, no doubt some stonepelters appeared in Lal Chowk but with the strong determination, the peaceful demonstrators continued their slogans against Hartaal, violence and stone throwing