Civil rights activists demand restoration of Articles 370, 35A in J&K

Civil rights activists urged the government on Saturday to restore Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution and take steps to bring back normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Social activist Shabana Hashmi said the abrogation of Article 370, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was a mindless exercise carried out by the BJP-led government.

"The government first did demonetisation and said this will end terrorism. Then they did surgical strikes and said terror had ended. On February 26, after the Balakot airstrike, they claimed that we had killed around 600 militants.

"Now, they have published an advertisement in newspapers, saying shops and schools are shut in the valley due to the fear of militants. If the government has killed all the militants, then whom are they talking about now," Hashmi told reporters at the Press Club here.

Delhi-based journalist and writer Revati Laul said removing Article 370 was the main cause of trauma for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"People in Jammu have lost business because it was dependent on Kashmir and they are being force-fed this narrative that you have to say you like it. In Jammu, more people refused to talk to us as compared to Kashmir," she said.

The activists urged the government to restore Articles 370 and 35A, mobile and internet services and remove the restrictions on the movement of people in the valley.