Kashmir on strike on deadly floods anniversary
Residents of Indian-administered Kashmir have staged a strike in protest to the New Delhi government's feet-dragging in rebuilding the disputed Himalayan region hit by devastating floods a year ago.
On Monday, almost all shops, banks and schools remained closed, and traffic stayed off the streets in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Kashmir region.
Several other major towns in Muslim-majority region also observed the strike.
The Indian government deployed police and paramilitary forces in riot gear across the region to rein in street demonstrations.
This came after local traders called a 24-hour strike over the government's inaction in helping businesses and families recover from the floods. The strike was also supported by several pro-independence groups that oppose New Delhi’s rule over the valley.
Several business leaders have been detained in order to head off any anti-government mass rally in Srinagar.
Mohammad Yasin Khan, chairman of the Kashmir Economic Alliance, a coalition of traders' bodies, told AFP by phone from a police station where he was being held that Indian government was blocking Kashmir’s access to international aid.
"The government of India refused international aid for Kashmir and did almost nothing itself after failing to protect us from the devastation," he said.
A year ago, flash floods killed more than 300 people and caused an estimated USD 16 billion in damage. According to a state government assessment, about 300,000 homes and other buildings along with 700,000 hectares (1.73 million acres) of farmland were damaged in the floods.
Anger has been mounting over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's failure to deliver on rehabilitation promises following the floods.
"I received 75,000 rupees (USD 1,122) which was just about enough to clear the debris of my destroyed home," Srinagar resident Bashir Ahmed said.
Indian troops are in constant clashes with the armed groups seeking independence across the valley.
Kashmir lies at the heart of nearly 68 years of hostility between India and Pakistan. Both neighbors claim the region in full, but have partial control over it.
Thousands of people have been killed in Kashmir unrest since the 1980s.
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