NC supports Kashmir bandh observe September 7 as ‘black day’

Trade unions have decided to observe September 7 as ‘black day’ to commemorate the first anniversary of the devastating floods that hit Kashmir last year.

As Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), a conglomerate of trade unions announced to observe September 7 as a ‘black day’ against the centre for failing to rehabilitate flood victims in the valley, it has got support from unexpected quarters. Opposition National Conference and all separatist political parties have supported the strike call. On September 7 last year, major flood hit the valley deluging Srinagar, summer capital of the state.

“We support the strike call given by various trade bodies, civil society groups and flood victims to commemorate one year anniversary of the devastating floods that hit Kashmir in September, National Conference provincial president, Nasir Aslam Wani, said.

One year has come to pass and the PDP-BJP Government has refused to show the bare minimum political will to rehabilitate and compensate the flood victims. We support the call for hartal on September 7 as a mark of protest against the Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) led government criminal indifference towards the flood victims”, Wani added.

He said the PDP-BJP government had intentionally sabotaged the 44,000 crore flood relief package proposal of National Conference as state’s Finance Minister had opposed the proposal on the floor of the legislative assembly giving the central government an excuse to trivialize the misery and sufferings of the flood victims.

Omar Abdullah government had described September floods in Kashmir as an international disaster and put losses upto Rs 100,000 crores as floods affected 12.5 lakh families.

The state government later submitted a proposal to the central government, seeking a special financial package of Rs 44,000 crore for the rehabilitation of flood affected people. However, the central government has not responded to the proposal so far.

For past two months the PDP-BJP government is expecting Rs 70,000 crore economic package for J&K to be used over next five years for development projects and also for flood affected and impacted people of 2014.

However, against the projected demand the centre government in August this year announced Rs 2400 crore, which was described as paltry even by the PDP.  Sources said the government expects that the centre government would make announcement about the package within few days.

As the centre government has delayed the announcement of the package, separatists have accused both the centre and the state government of not providing any support to affected people in past one year.

“September floods were a great catastrophe that changed the history of Kashmir. International community usually rushes with rescue and relief to affected people but Kashmiris were denied this relief by Indian authorities as they did not allow any international aid. Not only this, Indian authorities also did not provide any support, pro-independence separatist organization JKLF chairman Yasin Malik said.

JKLF, he said, has decided to support strike call and other programs given by various trade bodies on September 7. Whenever such kind of natural calamities hit any nation or area, international community rising above political and religious distinctions rush to support the affected people. That Kashmiris being a subjugated nation could not use this international support as Indian authorities denied and refused to give permission and entry to this international aid, he said. Ironically Indian authorities and their Kashmiri stooges themselves did nothing to help affected people, he alleged.

The KEA Chairman, Showkat Chaudhary Wednesday called Kashmir bandh on September 7. He said traders will observe September 7 as a black day against the central government.