Valley-based traders’ organisations, which remained at the forefront of the recent protests, are now on the job to form a fresh strategy to oppose the attempts towards the abrogation of Article 35A.
After taking out a series of protests, the traders will chalk out a fresh plan of action to “safeguard” Article 35A, which was added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954, and accords special rights and privileges to the citizens of the state.
“We are having a meeting on August 9 and will discuss the way forward after taking views of various trade bodies and civil society,” said Siraj Ahmad, convenor of the J&K Socio-Economic Coordination Committee (JKSEC), an amalgam of various traders’ bodies and civil society.
Members of the JKSEC were part of the 27 Valley-based traders’ bodies that had unanimously announced to launch a series of protests till August 6, when the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A. The bodies had also extended full support to the joint resistance leadership strike call.
Kashmir Economic Alliance vice-chairman Aijaz Shahdhar said they would continue to oppose the attempts towards abrogating Article 35A.
“We are ready to give our blood and offer sacrifice of any kind to safeguard Article 35A. We will not tolerate any kind of tinkering with it. We will have a meeting in a day or two, in which we will decide our future strategy. We will come onto roads, whenever needed,” Shahdhar added.
Valley based traders body to chalk out plan to safeguard Article 35A
