SRINAGAR – A complete shutdown paralyzed the Kashmir Valley as a massive protest erupted over the state government’s decision to issue ‘Dogra certificates’ to residents of the Jammu region.
Shops, business establishments, banks, and educational institutions remained closed across the Valley. The strike was spearheaded by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who strongly condemned the government’s move, arguing that the certification is a calculated attempt to divide the state along ethnic and regional lines.
Defending the controversial decision, state authorities explained that the Dogra certificate is primarily intended to help local youth secure employment. Possessing the certificate allows for crucial relaxations in physical criteria—such as height and age limits—for recruitment into the Indian Army and various paramilitary forces. The government also indicated its willingness to extend the certificate provision to other parts of the state to ensure parity.
Amid escalating tensions and the threat of widespread unrest, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urgently intervened. He has officially written to the Union Home Ministry regarding the controversy and convened a high-level meeting with his cabinet colleagues to take a “fresh look” at the administrative order.
Monday’s strike exacerbates an already tense atmosphere in the Valley. It immediately follows a two-day weekend shutdown protesting the assassination of prominent religious cleric Maulvi Showkat Ahmed Shah. The cleric, known to be a close associate of moderate separatist leader Yasin Malik, was tragically killed in a bomb blast while entering a mosque in Srinagar on Friday. The perpetrators of the attack remain unidentified.
(Note: This report reflects the events of April 2011, detailing the immediate public and political backlash that ultimately forced the J&K government to review and revoke the Dogra Certificate order).
Published by True Roots Media Network