Following the scrapping of Article 370, the state of Jammu and Kashmir locked down by the central government. Fearing severe backlash and chaos after the removal of Article 370, there has been a sort of strict curfew like situation in the state. To ensure a complete communications blackout in J&K, the government has shutdown internet connections, mobile network, phone services and television network, leaving the citizens of the state totally cutoff from the rest of the country and the world. All the communication modes in the state remain suspended, while the top officials are using satellite phones in order to communicate.
It is said that due to this continuing lockdown on the Kashmir Valley, more than half of the citizens of the valley are still unaware about the scrapping of Article 370.
Activist Tehseen Poonawalla has filed a petition to the Supreme Court to challenge this continuous shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir as a preventative measure of the Indian Government’s decision to scrap the special status of the state and to split it into two separate union territories.
Poonawalla has sought an urgent hearing of the case and has also requested the apex court to order the release of the former Chief Ministers of J&K – Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, who were arrested earlier this week. These two leaders of the terror stricken state were put under house arrest hours before Home Minister Amit Shah made the historic announcement that is expected to change the entire situation of Jammu and Kashmir. Mufti and Abdullah were moved to safe houses on Monday and the news of their release are yet unknown.
The activist also demands a judicial commission to be appointed in the state in order to find out the ground situation. According to him the Indian Governments decision has violated the fundamental rights that are guaranteed under Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
The government deployed more than 40,000 troops in J&K over the past weeks prior to its historic move on Article 370.
People from outside J&K are allowed to move around Srinagar by using their airline tickets as passes, while the local people are not allowed to move around freely unless they provide documents proving an emergency.
The security officers in Jammu & Kashmir have reported a prevailing clam situation, excepting few stone pelting incidents.
Whether the restrictions will be lifted off J&K for prayers or the upcoming Eid celebrations is yet unknown.
An activist has filed a case with the apex court to lift off the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir and release the arrested ex-Chief Ministers of the state.
