Hurriyat Calls Off Strike On Shivratri As A Goodwill Gesture To Kashmiri Pandits

In a positive gesture toward the Kashmiri pandit community, the joint Hurriyat leadership called off the strike on February 24 today, in wake of the Shivratri festival.

The separatists said the strike was called off keeping in view the traditional brotherhood and harmony of the state.

In a statement issued here, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Omer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said, “we have exemplary tradition of mutual brotherhood and since ages we are living in harmony."

"While issuing resistance programme we did not notice the commencing festival and later members of Pundit community invited our attention towards it and after consultations we called off proposed strike”, they said.

Earlier, the Hurriyat leadership had also called off the strike on Sikh festival Gurupurab.
Kashmiri pandits celebrate Shivratri, locally known as Herath, at least for three days. On the festival, Kashmiri pandit community, offer special prayers and also soak walnuts in water filled in earthen pots and later walnuts are distributed.

Hurriyat leaders have been issuing weekly protest calendars since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year. However, they have now restricted the strike call to Fridays only.

Meanwhile, Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar, today visited Pandit Colony in Sheikhpora, Budgam to review facilities there ahead of Mahashivratri festival.

During the visit, the Minister reviewed status of under-construction additional blocks of the residential colony there. He was briefed that 96 new flats are under construction at a cost of Rs 30 crore. He was informed that 200 families are already residing in the area since 2008.

“Akhtar interacted with various Pandit families of the colony and heard their grievances and assured them of early redress”, a government spokesman said.