Srinagar, June 19: Apni Party on Monday said police detained several of its leaders and workers including the party’s district president Srinagar Noor Mohammad Sheikh during a protest demonstration against the administration’s “failure” to provide essential commodities to the people.
The arrests took place outside the Apni Party headquarters, located at M2 Church Lane in Srinagar, the party said in a statement.
“On Monday morning, a significant number of party workers and leaders, led by Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir, gathered at the party headquarters to initiate a protest demonstration. The demonstration aimed to highlight the administration’s inability to ensure the availability of vital commodities for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said. “The demonstrators carried placards demanding the availability of rations on the ghats, uninterrupted power service, and sufficient potable water for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They attempted to initiate a procession, but the police prevented them from exiting the main gate of the party headquarters.
After police locked the main gate of the party headquarters in an attempt to contain the protesting leaders and workers, the demonstrators persisted with their protest inside the office premises. They raised slogans denouncing the administration’s failure and expressing their discontent.
On the occasion, AP provincial president Mohammad Ashraf Mir, spoke to the reporters and said the party had been consistently demanding adequate basic amenities and facilities for the people, but these demands have continuously been ignored by the authorities.
“Today, we had decided to stage a strong protest by organising a procession on the roads, but authorities did not allow us to proceed. Although engaging in peaceful protest with legitimate demands is a democratic and constitutional right for every citizen, unfortunately, the authorities have prevented us from exercising that right,” he said.
Mir urged the LG administration to take the necessary measures to ensure a sufficient power supply to the people, including domestic consumers, traders, and the industry.
Demanding the restoration of an adequate ration quota for consumers, Mir called upon the government to reinstate the ration scale of 20 kg per person and ensure an ample quota of kerosene oil for consumers across Jammu and Kashmir.
