Jammu & Kashmir: Schools in Valley to Reopen From Monday, Seven Months After Abrogation of Article 370

The administration had, in a departure from the past, decided to grant a five-month vacation period to schools in view of the security situation. While the winter holidays stretch for nearly three months annually, the schools were closed for five months this year.

File image of a school in Kashmir | (Photo Credits: PTI)

Srinagar, February 23: Schools in Kashmir Valley, shut since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year, would be reopening from Monday, reports said. The Jammu & Kashmir administration decided to reopen the schools considering the upward swing of temperature. The harsh winter, prevailing in the Valley over the last three months, prevented the re-functioning of schools despite the situation inching towards normalcy.

The administration had, in a departure from the past, decided to grant a five-month vacation period to schools in view of the security situation. While the winter holidays stretch for nearly three months annually, the schools were closed for five months this year. Rajnath Singh on Detention of Ex-J&K CMs: 'I Pray for Early Release of Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti'.

Two months before the winter vacation was imposed, the Narendra Modi government took the unprecedented measure of repealing Article 370 - the constitutional provision which guaranteed special status and semi-autonomy to the region of Jammu & Kashmir. The state was also bifurcated into two union territories - one comprising of J&K and other of Kargil and Ladakh.

Thousands were subsequently detained as a precautionary measure, including top political leaders of the state. Former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah are yet to be released, with the government recently invoking the Public Safety Act (PSA) against them. The law mandates a detention of upto two years without the person facing trial.

Seven months after the Centre's shock move, normalcy was yet to be completely restored in the Valley, the Opposition alleged. While means of communication have been resumed, a partial blockade on internet services continue to remain in Kashmir. Social media has been blocked to prevent the spread of rumours, while other "whitelisted websites" are allowed to be accessed at a restricted speed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 23, 2020 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).

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