Desperate measures: Govt tries back-door route to J-K peace

FIGHT TO FINISH? The admin is in a fix and the Sangrash Samiti too is feeling the pressure to deliver.

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Jammu/Srinagar: The Amarnath divide continues to deepen in Jammu and Kashmir. But it’s a different story on both sides.

While in Kashmir, separatists have hinted they are ready for talks with the government, in Jammu, politicians are in the firing line of protestors.

A day after BJP activists were targeted, on Thursday, Congress leader Mangat Ram Sharma was attacked. Government ration trucks were looted, vehicles were burnt and protests in Jammu took an ugly turn. This, after a statement from New Delhi allegedly equated the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti to the Hurriyat Conference.

“Congress has a microscopic approach It’s unfortunate,” said Convenor, Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, Lila Karan Sharma.

The administration is in a fix and the Sangrash Samiti too is feeling the pressure to deliver after a month-long consecutive strike and involvement of the masses.

The SSP of Jammu was transferred for the second time in less than 40 days. In Samba, the sale of liquor has been banned to curtail violence.

In Srinagar, the Hurriyat is getting ready for its third rally, a march to Idgah on Friday.

Confident of a third mass turnout, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is confident that New Delhi is listening.

“New Delhi should listen to the roar on the streets and it is high time before they started a dialogue. Our demand is that trade and self-driven vehicles should be allowed across LoC, prisoners should be released and black laws repealed,” he said.

By carrying out a march to Idgah and another to Lal Chowk on Monday, the separatists hope to use the high pitch of the Valley protests to bring New Delhi on the dais to resolve Kashmir and it seems the Centre too has its ear to the ground.