Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday joined the protesting fruit traders in the Valley and threatened to launch a street agitation in case the Lieutenant-Governor’s administration failed to provide a free passage to apple carrying trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
Several fruit mandis in north and south Kashmir continued to remain closed in protest of halting of trucks. “The halting of trucks along the Srinagar-Jammu highway has resulted in a loss of around ₹500 crore to the apple industry in the month of September,” Mudasir Ahmed Bhat, president of the Buyers Association Fruit Mandi Sopore, said. Kashmir’s apple industry volume is around ₹6,000 crore.
Ms. Mufti, who joined the protesting growers in Shopian fruit mandi, threatened to launch “a peaceful street agitation” if the L-G administration fails to address the issue. “Kashmir has been turned into an open jail. Its economy is being destroyed. I warn the administration that if they don’t immediately open the roads for trucks, I along with our workers will sit on a protest,” Ms. Mufti said. She said orchardists and growers were facing “economic terrorism” at the hands of the L-G administration.
