Sarpanches among 8 booked after blocking cavalcade of Khan
SOPs, DM Act being used as tool to suppress voices
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 26: Speaking openly against the administration in the Darbars of the Advisors to the Lieutenant Governor and protesting in front of them over justified demands has become new type of crime in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with two such incidents having been reported during the current month.
Moreover, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) framed to contain COVID-19 pandemic and Disaster Management Act are being used as a tool to suppress voices in the selected cases.
Yesterday, a number of inhabitants of Kulsari Panchayat in Bhaderwah and adjoining areas held protest demonstration over the inordinate delay in the construction of just 1.5 kilometres road and even stopped the cavalcade of Advisor Farooq Khan, who was heading towards Bhaderwah to review the developmental activities.
The only objective behind villagers’ action was to convey to the Advisor their resentment towards the present administration, which has failed to complete the road even after the lapse of 10 years.
After assurance from the Advisor to take up the matter on priority, the villagers called off the protest and traffic was resumed on the Bhaderwah-Doda highway.
However, much to the dismay of the villagers, Bhaderwah Police today registered case against eight persons including four Sarpanches and a Government teacher on the pretext of violating COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while holding protest demonstration yesterday.
They have been booked under Sections 188 IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), Section 51 of Disaster Management Act read with Section-3 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1997.
The case has been registered against Sajid Mir (Sarpanch Kulsari), Majid Khan, son of Gulam Hassan Khan, a resident of Amera Nagar, Anchal Singh, son of Parmalina Singh, a resident of Kulshari, Kuldeep Kumar (Government teacher), son of Bakshi Ram, a resident of Lamout Daranga, Firdous Ahmed Butt, a resident of Kulsari, Raju (Sarpanch Sungli), Yasir (Sarpanch Nalthi) and Ayaz Khan (Sarpanch Dandi), SHO Bhaderwah Police Station Ghulam Hassan said when contacted.
Not only this, he said that on the basis of video which is being examined by the police more persons will be identified and action will also be taken against them.
The registration of FIR today sparked protests from the people of Nalthi and Kulsari Panchayats, who raised slogans against the administration and demanded withdrawal of case. “We were demanding road connectivity which is our basic right”, they said, adding “we have given two days ultimatum to the police for withdrawal of FIR failing which agitation will be intensified”.
Stating that FIR has been registered only because they dared to block the cavalcade of the Advisor, the protestors said, “every day protests are held in different parts of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir over one or the other issue but no such FIR has been registered”, adding “even political parties are holding demonstrations after regular intervals but in such cases the SOPs violation is not being noticed by the administration”.
It is pertinent to mention here that on June 10, a 50-year-old political activist from Safapora area in Ganderbal was booked and put behind the bars as he dared to speak against the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal during the Public Darbar of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor Baseer Khan.
His only ‘crime’ was that he stated in the Darbar that he had no expectations from officers who belong to outside Jammu and Kashmir. Sofi’s remarks angered the Deputy Commissioner who stood up during the meeting and “strongly objected” to the behaviour of Sofi, who was leading a strong delegation.
Later, Sofi was booked under Section 153-A of the IPC and arrested soon after the meeting.
“These two incidents make it clear that speaking against the administration in the Darbars of the Advisors and holding protest in front of them has become new type of crime in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”, people said, adding “the administration is selectively using SOPs and Disaster Management Act to suppress the genuine voices”.
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