india

Updated: Aug 24, 2019 00:07 IST

Kupwara district in north Kashmir, which witnessed a sizeable turnout of voters in the recent general election, was on Friday seething with anger at mainstream Kashmiri politicians.

The town of some 35,000 people wore a deserted look, with arterial roads largely empty, minimal vehicular traffic and security checkpoints every few hundred metres.

As in most parts of the Kashmir Valley, shops were largely shut and the local hospital barely functioning in the district that was a hotbed of political activity till recently. The overriding concerns of the few people out on the streets were the restrictions on movement and the communications blackout.

A group of residents gathered outside a small store, which they said opened for a few hours in the mornings and late evenings, pointed out that they had limited food stocks at home.They said they have no access to news or relatives and friends in other parts of Kashmir. Cable TV networks too have been off since the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5.

The residents are upset that local political leaders, including Sajjad Lone and Engineer Rashid, both of whom won more than a lakh votes in the general election,were under house arrest. But they were also disillusioned with their leaders.

“What can do these politicians do for us? Anyway, all of them have been locked up, including the ones who supported India. We have no idea what is going on and nobody even talked to us about these changes,” said a young man who refused to give his name. The man said he has a tractor dealership and that business activities have come to a standstill

Kupwara registered a turnout of 47.7 % in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 41.6%% in the 2018 Panchayat ones. Lone is considered close to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Indeed, there were rumours that after the BJP pulled out of the coalition government with the PDP, it would partner with him. That wasn’t to be.

Mohammed Jamal, a 65-year-old shopkeeper who is meeting friends near the Jamia Masjid in the heart of Kupwara, is critical of the political class and blames them for “betraying” the cause of Kashmiris. He said New Delhi should hold discussions with the All Party Hurriyat Conference, an agglomeration of separatist groups.

“If there is a contest between the other political parties and the Hurriyat, you will see who is supported more.The Hurriyat has its supporters too,” he adds. .

The district commissioner could not be reached for a comment.

On Friday,restrictions in Kupwara and surrounding areas such as Sopore and Baramullawere were far more pronounced than they were earlier this week, with police officials urging people to stay indoors. Residents of Kupwara say they were directed to offer the “Jumma” or special Friday prayers at smaller mosques near their homes instead of the larger Jamia Masjid.

Senior police officials, who didn’t want to be named, said there was no bar on people praying at the Jamia Masjid but admitted that some restrictions were imposed in Kupwara and nearby areas two days ago following an alert about possible militant attacks.

“We have been on a high alert for the last three days since we have credible information about a possible terrorist strike,” one police officer said.

“Things are otherwise normal and we want to prevent any casualties. Besides, some of the restrictions are in view of the Friday prayers, when large numbers of people gather,” he added.

Most security checkpoints in the region are manned by the local police along with personnel from the army,ShashastraSeema Bal or Border Security Force. Vehicles passing through are stopped and checked at several checkpoints in Kupwara.