Opposition to new food security law intensifies in Indian-controlled Kashmir

The opposition to implementation of India's new food security law in Indian-controlled Kashmir seems to be intensifying with each passing day.

Not only the main opposition party to the local government but even separatist groups are up in arms against the new law.

The moderate separatist leader - Mirwaiz Umar Farooq - on Friday demanded withdrawal of the new law and described it as "anti-people."

"The National Food Security Act is an anti-people law and an attempt to deny Kashmiris the ration supply," Farooq said.

As per the new law, each person registered with the government would be provided with five kilograms of subsidized rice every month.

"The government first reduced kerosene oil quota to state and now is deciding to reduce the rice supply, the staple diet of people," he said.

"Jammu and (Indian-controlled) Kashmir is only getting 325,270 quintals of rice against the need of 475,000 quintals and by further reducing the quantity, the government is creating a crisis-like situation."

The new law adopted by the local government earlier this month is likely to come in force from February next year.

Farooq demanded the government provide 11 kg of rice to each soul in the region.

The region especially, Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, has been witnessing massive public protests over the past few days against the government decision.

People including women and children participate in the protests demanding withdrawal of the new law.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah Thursday accused the local government of snatching food from them.

"The government is robbing people of the right to bare the minimum ration requirement by irresponsibly implementing the law," Abdullah said while addressing a rally in Anantnag. "We will oppose the law and won't allow its implementation."

Rice is a staple diet in Indian-controlled Kashmir and each family currently gets 35 kg of subsidized rice through the public distribution system.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani who opposes the new law said the "reservations" of the public in this regard cannot be taken as meaningless and secondary.

"Until the government comes out with clarifications to the people's reservations, the public reaction against this Act is genuine and the use of brutal force against the protests is condemnable" Geelani said in a statement.

Local newspaper Greater Kashmir, quoting official figures, reported that nearly 231,000 souls in Srinagar would be deprived of the subsidized ration after implementation of the new law and most of the families eligible to receive the ration would get less than 25 kg of food grains. Enditem