Students protest at Jantar Mantar

New Delhi: Student organisations of various universities on Thursday came together to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar, marking 200 days of Kashmir lockdown.

Jammu and Kashmir have been under lockdown since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5. Speaking to Millennium Post Naveed Bukhtiyar, who works with Karwan e Mohabbat, said there is uncertainty in the state and no one can predict what will happen there. "No one can predict what will happen in Kashmir and there is always a confusion about that. People have also not reacted at all in this situation. As of now, education is suffering in the state, the economy is suffering in every sector. We are suffering mentally," he said.

Bukhtiyar, who hails from Srinagar, was also one of the speakers at the protest. He also said that people need to vote for a government that caters towards humanity. "People have to vote for a government, which has humanity and who considers the pain of the people there until then there is no solution," he added.

The protest was organised by the All India Students' Association (AISA), Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Youth Alliance for Peace among others. "Recognising that the people of Jammu & Kashmir are facing a repressive onslaught and that their lives and liberty are at risk, we, concerned citizens of India register our protest through poetry, songs of resistance and solidarity with the people of J&K, to demand the release of all political leaders and restoration of communication channels," said a joint statement by the unions.

A freelance journalist Revati Laul, who is also a part of Human Rights organisation ANHAD, which was also part of the organising committee said that along with the lockdown, the right of people to protest has also been taken away.