Eid Celebrations In Kashmir As Severe Restrictions Return
SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir today celebrated Eid-al-Adha amid massive security restrictions, with the government sharing photos of prayers at smaller neighbourhood mosques in Srinagar as streets remained deserted and watched by security personnel.
Reports said prayers were not allowed at major mosques in Srinagar and large gatherings stayed banned across the Kashmir Valley.
The Jammu and Kashmir police tweeted that Eid prayers had been peaceful.
Sharing visuals of people distributing sweets after namaz, Union Home Ministry spokesperson Vasudha Gupta tweeted: “Eid prayers offered peacefully in all local mosques of Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Bandipore, without any untoward incident. Jamia Masjid old town Baramulla witnessed approx 10,000 people offering prayers.
“People come out in good numbers to pray on Eid in Jammu and Kashmir prayers concluded at prominent mosques in Srinagar and Shopian. Over 4,500 offer prayers at Eidgah Jammu.”
Large parts of the state have been under a security lockdown since last week, when the government scrapped special status to Jammu and Kashmir and decided to split the state into two union territories. The restrictions, eased on Saturday to facilitate Eid shopping, returned on Sunday as the government said sporadic clashes took place in Srinagar.
The residents of Srinagar had come out in large numbers to shop for Eid on Sunday morning. Later in the day, sources said police vehicles were seen making announcements on loudspeakers asking people to return to their homes, and shopkeepers were told to shut down.
The government said despite restrictions, arrangements were made for smooth Eid festivities. In Srinagar, mobile vans were provided for door-to-door delivery of vegetables, LPG cylinders, poultry and eggs. Special telephone booths were also being established to help people communicate with their relatives.
“Over 2.5 lakh sacrificial animals were arranged by administration, mandis were set up in eight places, treasuries and banks were kept open, over Rs. 500 crore was released in two-three days, including wages of employees and others. Restrictions were eased on Sunday, we saw traffic at many places,” said Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning Commission.
Thousands of security personnel remain in the Kashmir Valley and phone and internet services have still not been restored. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is posted across the state, said it distributed sweets at Eidgah.
In his speech to the nation on Friday on his Kashmir decisions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured that the people of the state would not face any trouble in celebrating Eid and that the situation in the valley would return to normal gradually.
A Home Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday that there had been “stray protests” in Srinagar and Baramulla, none of which involved a crowd of more than 20 people.
The Home Ministry has dismissed media reports about a protest by some 10,000 people in Kashmir valley as “fabricated and incorrect”.The government said people must not believe in rumours about alleged incidents of firing in Kashmir valley.
Curfew was re-imposed in Srinagar on the eve of Eid, even as state police stressed the situation was peaceful in the state that has been in lockdown since the Narendra Modi government decided to repeal Article 370, which granted special status to the state.
Eid, the biggest festival for the Valley, is a quiet affair this time, with markets in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remaining shut.
The bakeries in Srinagar, which would go out of stock on Arfa (a day before Eid), have been unable to sell even 10% of what they used to.
Kashmir is under a clampdown, with paramilitary troops fanning across the Valley and Section 144 (restricting the assembly of four or more people in public) imposed. All telephone communication and internet services have been snapped. (With Agency Inputs ).
