Srinagar traders reject electricity tariff hike, call it ‘authoritarian’
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), traders in downtown Srinagar have categorically rejected and condemned the hike in electricity charges announced by the Omar Abdullah-led government, calling it an ‘authoritarian’ move that has added to the economic burden on businesses and households.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Shaher-Khaas Traders Alliance President, Nazir Ahmad Shah, in a statement issued in Srinagar, said that the decision had sent shockwaves through both the commercial sector and ordinary households, which were already struggling under immense economic stress.
“We gave the National Conference (NC) a resounding mandate to represent our aspirations, protect our economic livelihood, and fight for our fundamental rights. We did not elect this government to subjugate, penalize, and harass the public through backbreaking measures like this unjustified electricity fare hike,” Shah remarked.
Nazir Ahmad Shah urged Omar Abdullah to immediately roll back the decision, saying the government must put public interest before personal or bureaucratic interests.
“The public will not forget this betrayal at the ballot box,” he warned.
The Shaher-Khaas Traders Alliance called upon all trade bodies, civil society members, and the general public to stand united against this economic injustice, vowing to intensify protests if the arbitrary hike is not withdrawn.
