Farooq Abdullah calls Jammu-Srinagar highway closure 'dictatorship law'

Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference has criticised the government's decision to close down the Jammu-Srinagar highway. He termed the restriction imposed on civilian movement as 'dictatorial.'

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that closing of Jammu-Srinagar highway to facilitate security movement amounts to dictatorial tendencies and urged the order to be withdrawn.

While speaking on restriction of civilian movement on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for two days in a week, Abdullah said, "Trader's Federation president met me saying that their lifeline is this road and closing it will cause loss. This looks like some dictatorship law."

Responding to the reason provided by the Jammu Kashmir government on the closure of highway, he stated that trains should be used to facilitate military movement.

"Trains should be used if they want the Army to commute or travel at night, so that it doesn't affect the people. The order should be withdrawn," he said.

"When the Kargil war took place? It was not closed then. I was the CM. No road was closed. Which war is taking place now? There is no fight. You have failed on the promised you have made," he added.

Jammu and Kashmir state government had announced the ban to facilitate the movement of security personnel during the Lok Sabha elections.