Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 28— Centre’s ‘Mission Kashmir’ suffered a major setback after political parties questioned the visit of “far-right” Parliamentarians of European Union (EU) to Kashmir at a time when “even Congress leader Rahul Gandhi” is stopped from visiting people in the valley.
“It is not official delegation. I called EU office in Delhi and I was told they are on a private visit. We need to ask, who sponsored them and who facilitated their visit? Why this visit when India says Kashmir is an integral part of the country. They do not allow Rahul Gandhi to visit Kashmir. But they are facilitated some random EU MPs. Some information has come that most of them are pro right and anti-Islam”, said Iltija Mufti, daughter of incarcerated former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Around 41 people including 28 EU Parliamentarians are arriving in Srinagar on Tuesday for on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Kashmir is simmering since August 5 when Centre abrogated special status and divided Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
“I do not expect much from this delegation. If they meet detained political prisoners, minors who have been detained and civil society members then it will make sense. Otherwise if they are projecting sanitized version of Jammu and Kashmir then it does not matte”, said Iltija.
National Conference said visit will be meaningless if the delegation is not given access to three detained former chief ministers — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — and common people in the valley.
“It will be welcomed only when they are given access to the people, civil society members and three chief ministers who are detained since August 5. On spot assessment will be objective only if they are allowed to meet people, civil society members and political leaders so that they can articulate their viewpoints. Unless they are given free hand, this exercise cannot be meaningful”, said Justice (retd) HasnainMasoodi, NC MP from Anantnag constituency.
The visit comes when Kashmir completes 84 days of hartal against the abrogation of Article 370. For the last 12 Fridays, no namaz has been offered in historic Jamia Masjid. Thousands of people including three former chief ministers have been detained in Kashmir. Internet has been shut for the last 84 days. Though post-paid mobiles and landlines are operational, prepaid phones continue to remain suspended.
A new system has been introduced by the people wherein shops open for three hours every morning to allow people to buy essentials. During the day people observe shutdown apparently in protest against the abrogation of Article 370. Though roadside vendors set up stalls, yet it is confined to three kilometer highly secured stretch from Batamaloo to Polo View.
Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) have pegged the business losses at Rs 10000 crore in the last 84 days of hartal. Around one lakh people, mostly in tourism and IT sector, have lost jobs due to the shutdown. Though government had reopened schools, students have preferred to stay home.
