Kashmir: Srinagar Police Told to Collect Details of Mosques, Order Fuels Fear Over Possible Scrapping of Article 35A, 370
All the five Superintendents of Police (SPs) in Srinagar district have been asked to collect details about mosques and the ideological affiliations of their management, a development which added to the fear and speculation about abrogation of Articles 35A and 370.
Srinagar, July 30: All the five Superintendents of Police (SPs) in Srinagar district have been asked to collect details about mosques and the ideological affiliations of their management, a development which added to the fear and speculation about abrogation of Articles 35A and 370 triggered by the deployment of additional forces in the Kashmir Valley. The police, however, termed the order a "routine exercise".
"Please provide details of mosques and their managements falling within your respective jurisdictions as per enclosed proforma to this office immediately for onward submission to higher authorities," reads an order dated July 28, issued by the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Srinagar district. Calling it a routine exercise, SSP, Srinagar Haseeb Mughal, however, told The Indian Express that the "timing of the letter is wrong". Article 35A and 370 Must Not Be Removed From Kashmir, Says NC MP Farooq Abdullah.
Kashmir has been on edge since the Centre deployed 100 additional companies of paramilitary forces in the state. Subsequently, contentious orders to the state administration and armed forces fueled the speculation that the Centre is planning to take a major decision with regard to the state's special status. A recent order asked the police to collect information about the passenger capacity of taxis and fuel capacity of petrol pumps. ‘No Jammu & Kashmir or India Will Be Left’, Warns Mehbooba Mufti on Article 370 Row.
On Monday, a police wireless message asked officers to "communicate shortfall of riot-control equipment/ gas gun, TSMs" for "special law and order duties". Asked about rumours about the abrogation of Article 35A and 370, K Vijay Kumar, advisor to the Governor, said on Monday: "If somebody is causing panic or spreading a rumour on social media, then I shouldn’t be countering it. It won’t be proper. All I am trying to say is what is the source of this rumour."
Article 370 of the Constitution promises autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A gives special privileges to “permanent residents" of the state, while defining who are the “permanent residents".
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2019 09:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).