For the consecutive 26h year, Valley observed a complete shutdown against the landing of Indian army in the state on this day in 1947. The pro-freedom groups as well as militant organizations like Hizbul Mujhadeen, Al-Umar Mujhadeen and Lashkar-e-Toiba had called people to observe the day as “Black Day”. Even public transport stayed off the roads. Only a few private vehicles and a few auto rickshaws plied on the streets of Srinagar.
All the shops and business establishments remained shut while the students preferred to remain indoors as the educational institutions had decided in advance to windup their activities for Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the activists of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (the Azad Jammu Kashmir Chapter) held a demonstration and sit-down protest before the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) office at Rawalpindi on Tuesday to express solidarity with Kashmiris on Friday, which the APHC (AJK Chapter) observed as “Black Day”. In a statement to CNS spokesman of the party said the Convenor of APHC presented a memorandum to UN military commander and reminded him about the human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. “Memorandum urged the United Nations to play a positive and decisive role to address the situation in its real historical perspective. It demanded withdrawal of troops and draconian laws, restoration of all civil liberty and release of political detainees to be followed by tripartite dialogue to facilitate a just and peaceful settlement of the dispute,” statement added.
It is pertinent to mention here that on this day in 1947, India headed by Nehru on the request from Sheikh Abdullah airlifted its forces to Srinagar after the last monarch of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh “singed the conditional Instrument of Accession” with India.
“On this day, Indian forces landed in valley against the wishes of Kashmiris,” separatists maintain. It is for this reason that separatist camp – fighting for the rights to self determination of Kashmiris – observe October 27 as “Black Day”. (CNS)
