While other states break records in exports or academics, Kashmir is a master in shutdowns
Hartals record four-fold increase this year
Srinagar: There has been an almost four-time increase this year in the strikes and protest demonstrations called by separatist organisations in Kashmir, according to statistics of the state’s Home department.
While there were 35 ‘hartals’ (shutdowns) in all in 2009, the number of strikes rose to 131 this year, indicating an increase by three to four times, a senior police officer was quoted as saying by a news agency.
Data compiled by the Home department upto November 2010 revealed that there were 131 ‘hartals’ and 134 processions and demonstrations “sponsored by separatists” in the Valley this year.
In 2009, there were only 45 such demonstrations and processions and 35 days of strikes, while in 2008 there were 15 protest demonstrations and 33 ‘hartals’, the data revealed.
There were a total of 2,096 processions and demonstrations sponsored by separatists in the Kashmir Valley in the past two decades and 1,671 such ‘hartals’ recorded since January 1990.
The highest number of 416 demonstrations and processions were recorded in Kashmir in 1992 and the highest number of 207 ‘hartals’ were recorded in 1991, the report said.
The increase in the number of the ‘hartals’ and protest demonstrations was mainly because of the four-month-long violent agitation in the Valley earlier this year.