SRINAGAR: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has announced a complete shutdown across Indian-occupied Kashmir on August 5, to mark the sixth anniversary of the Indian government’s controversial revocation of the region’s special constitutional status.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Hurriyat leadership has urged people across the valley to observe the strike as a show of collective resistance, declaring that Kashmiris categorically reject the unilateral and illegal actions taken by New Delhi on August 5, 2019.
“August 5 stands as one of the darkest chapters in Kashmir’s history when India stripped the region of its unique identity, autonomy, and constitutional protections,” the statement said.
In the lead-up to the anniversary, pro-freedom groups have put up posters and banners across Srinagar and other parts of the region.
The messages on these posters demand: a full reversal of the 2019 constitutional changes, immediate release of all political detainees, a just resolution to the Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
The Hurriyat Conference emphasized that the shutdown is intended to remind the global community that the people of Kashmir have never accepted India’s actions and continue to struggle for their political rights and identity.
On August 5, 2019, the Indian government revoked Articles 370 and 35A of the constitution, effectively ending Jammu and Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status.
The move was made without the consent of the Kashmiri people, sparking outrage across the region and drawing widespread criticism from international human rights organizations.
