Valley markets abuzz with activity for second day; don’t mistake it for normalcy: Separatists

• Day 2: Kashmir markets remain abuzz with business activity
• There were frequent traffic jams in the city centre and adjoining areas
• ‘Hustle and bustle in markets should not be mistaken’ Resistance Group

Amid roaring Sunday Market in Lal Chowk, Kashmir remained abuzz with the business activities reflecting a semblance of normalcy on the second consecutive day of full-day relaxation announced by the joint resistance leadership.
Though the schools and colleges remained closed on account of Sunday, transport— both public and private— plied normally. There were frequent traffic jams in the city centre and adjoining areas.

The Sunday Market, a weekly business activity, was set from Zero bridge, Polo view right up to Amira Kadal here on the both sides of the main road. People in huge numbers could be seen buying winter stuff including blankets, jackets, coats and sweaters.
“The huge rush of consumers in the market also led to the traffic jams in the area forcing the commuters to take alternate routes,” witnesses said.
The street vendors said they arrived early in the morning to get space in the market. Some vendors who could not find any space in the market set up their makeshift stalls at extended places.

“It was good to see the huge rush of consumers in the market today. I sold 80 per cent of my stock,” said Feroz Ahmed, a vendor at Residency Road.
The shops and restaurants also remained open for the day.
Majority of the shopkeepers, however, complained that the business was not great due to the currency conundrum. “The demonetisation has hit our business badly,” said Farooq Ahmed Mir, a wholesaler.
Witnesses said that public transport could be seen plying on all major roads in Srinagar including old Srinagar, which remained in news for pro-freedom protests for the past over four months of unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 at Kokernag area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Pertinently, during the unrest, 97 people including two cops have been killed while as 15000 people were injured of which over 700 were hit by pellets in their eyes alone. Dozens of those hit by pellets in eyes have lost their vision partially or fully.
Reports from various district headquarters said that life remained normal while as all major markets were abuzz with the business related activities. Reports said that there were long queues of public and private vehicles stuck in the traffic jams at all the major towns across Kashmir.
Meanwhile, reports said that many areas observed a complete shutdown against the killing of a Laskhar-e-Taiba militant Rayees Ahmed, who was killed yesterday in an encounter with forces. Main Pulwama Town, Kakapora, Newa, and Tahab markets remained shut.

Meanwhile, tce leaders on Sunday hailed the people for abiding by its protest program, saying “conscious and honorable nations can’t afford to forget the sacrifices of their loved ones.”
“Market rush, dense transport and hustle and bustle should not be mistaken by our crude oppressor and their renegades that we have forgotten their brutality or our goal of freedom has gone out of our sight,” joint resistance leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, who are spearheading the ongoing movement against civilian killings in Kashmir said in a statement here. Elaborating, they said: “Overwhelming admiration and commitment of the people is a clear message for the traitors that our resistance is not our hobby, but a willful and mindful passion for our basic right, right to self-determination and it will continue and intensify with each passing phase of our movement.”

“The iron hand of authorities continue to punch us, their repressive measures are on its peak, hunt of populace continues unabated, our old and (physically) fragile senior citizens are ruthlessly tortured and revenged in these cold chilly days, negating their own rhetoric and parroting of the peace and tranquility,” they said.
“Not only people but leaders continue to be caged and those in outside jails are repeatedly harassed by the communal jail staff to satisfy their ‘collective conscience’.
“Seasonal croaks every now and then land in the valley to know the ‘aspirations of the people’ and share the ‘pain and agony’ but neither Delhi sarkar seems to be interested in healing our wounds, nor these faceless stooges holding the brutal portraits of their masters, bother about our miseries.

“Our incarcerated youth bear the brunt of ‘battle of ideas’, while elderly facing PSAs. This betrays the tall claims of ‘defenders of human rights’.
“Those who joined hands with the mindset claiming the demonetization as the solution of Kashmir uprising fled to the winter capital to parrot and praise the Indian democracy leaving the Valleyites at the mercy of dark and chilly winter with our own resources snatched and forcing us to plead with a begging bowl (sic),” the resistance leaders said.
“Burning of schools is highly condemnable and we are deeply concerned about these destructive measures as those indulging in such activities are neither the well wishers of the movement nor the (part of) Kashmir society. We stand by our demand and resolve that such elements should be exposed and dealt with accordingly,” they said.
The resistance leaders appealed the people that they should follow resistance program in letter and spirit “to convey in clear terms to the oppressors that we will continue to fight for our right, right to self-determination and our resistance will strengthen with each passing phase of our movement.”