STATE TIMES NEWS
BHADARWAH: A complete shutdown was observed in Bhadarwah Valley followed by a massive protest on Thursday in support of their long pending demand to give district status to Bhadarwah at the earliest and to immediately stop the alleged discrimination by the successive governments of this erstwhile princely state.
All the shops and other business establishments of both the communities remained closed today on the shutdown call given by All Jammu and Kashmir Senior Citizen Welfare Council (AJKSCWC) supported by socio-religious organisations, political parties, students organisations and Beopar Mandal Bhadarwah.
The complete shutdown was followed by a massive protest in which beside common Bhadarwahis, hundreds of people including students, social workers, members of different political parties and Beopar Mandal participated demanding district status to Bhadarwah.
Three protest rallies simultaneously started from Chobia Link Road, Pasri and GDC Bhadarwah, while raising slogans in favour their demands converged at historic Seri Bazaar where protestors addressed the massive rally.
” Our only disqualification is that, perhaps we carry the tag of being a native of Bhadarwah, otherwise I’m not able to locate any other reason that erstwhile Bhadarwah which consists of four subdivisions, 12 Tehsils and 23 Niabats is being neglected for so long and not given it’s rightful place,” said a youth leader Nasir K Shah adding that today they have shown the unprecedented unity and this tempo will continue till we achieve our goal.
” We have been demanding district status since last two decades in a peaceful and democratic way but those sitting at the helm of affairs only bullied and cornered us further leaving us with no other option but to come on streets,” said a social worker Suhail Sidiqui.
” No one can change our resolve as we are now prepared to go to any extent and even to shed our blood for the cause of our motherland to restore its pristine glory,” Sidiqui added.
Prominent among those who addressed the rally include, Swami Raj, Faiz-Ullah Suharwardy, Nazir Ahmed, Aamir and Munna Ganai.
Later protestors under the leadership of Advisor AJKSCWC, Jaswant Singh Charak submitted a resolution to the Government.
