SRINAGAR: Schoolsreopened in Indian Kashmir's main city yesterday but most classrooms were emptyas parents kept their children home, fearing unrest over the government'sdecision two weeks ago to revoke the region's autonomy. Some 190 primaryschools were set open in Srinagar in a sign of normalcy returning to Muslimmajority Jammu and Kashmir where authorities started to ease restrictions onmovement last week.
Parents saidtheir children would stay home until cellular networks are restored and theycan be in contact with them. "How can we risk the lives of ourchildren?" said Gulzar Ahmad, a father of two children enrolled in aschool in the city's Batamaloo district where protests have occurred.
"Troops havearrested minor children in the last two weeks and several children were injuredin clashes," he said. "Our children are safe inside their homes. Ifthey go to school who can guarantee their safety?" Authorities havepreviously denied reports of mass arrests. Srinagar's top administrativeofficer, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, said on Sunday that adequate security would beprovided for schools. "I will take responsibility for any untowardincident," he added.
Protests beganafter the Aug 5 decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government towithdraw Kashmir's special status and integrate it fully into India, with equalrights for all Indians to buy property there and compete for government jobs.Critics said the decision alienated many Kashmiris and would add fuel to a30-year armed revolt in the Himalayan territory that Pakistan also lays claimto. Paramilitary police in riot gear and carrying assault rifles stood behindsteel barricades and coils of razor wire in Srinagar's old quarter to deter arepeat of weekend protests.
In denseneighborhoods such as Batamaloo, youths set up makeshift barricades to blocksecurity forces from entering. Authorities reimposed curbs on movement in partsof Srinagar on Sunday after overnight clashes between residents and police inwhich dozens were injured, two senior officials and witnesses said. Reutersjournalists visited two dozen schools in Srinagar yesterday. Some schools werelightly staffed and classrooms deserted. Gates at other schools were locked.
Only one studentshowed up at Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School, which has anenrolment of 1,000 pupils, and went home, said a school official. There were nostudents at the barricaded Burn Hall school in one of the city's high securityzones. "How can students come to classes in such a volatile situation? Thegovernment is turning these little children into cannon fodder," a teachersaid, among a handful of staff who turned up for work.
Cross borderfiring
New Delhi'sdecision on Kashmir has heightened tensions with its neighbor and rival nuclearpower, Pakistan, and triggered cross-border exchanges of fire. In the latestincident, two civilians were killed in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir by Indiansoldiers firing across the border, Pakistan's foreign ministry said, addingthat it had summoned India's deputy commissioner in Islamabad to protest.
"Theceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security andmay lead to a strategic miscalculation," the foreign ministry said. Therewas no immediate comment from India which has previously accused Pakistan oftrying to whip up tensions to draw global attention. Indian Defense MinisterRajnath Singh said on Sunday there would be no talks with Pakistan until itacted against anti-India militant groups operating from its soil. Anynegotiation would focus on the part of Kashmir held by Pakistan, he told apolitical rally in India.
The scenicmountain region is divided between India, which rules the populous KashmirValley and the Hindu-dominated region around Jammu city, Pakistan, whichcontrols a wedge of territory in the west, and China, which holds a thinlypopulated high-altitude area in the north. More than 50,000 people have died inthe revolt that erupted against Indian rule in Kashmir in 1989. India blamesPakistan for giving material support to the militants and helping them crossinto its part of the mountainous region. Pakistan denies the allegation andsays it only gives moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in theirstruggle for self determination. - Reuters