Srinagar, Oct 28 PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday demanded an immediate waiver of loans for Kashmir’s traditional copperware artisans here, saying that the centuries-old handicrafts are on the brink of collapse due to debt and illegal machine-made competition.
Mehbooba, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, visited several shrines of Sufi saints in the downtown (interior areas of the city) here earlier in the day.
Speaking to reporters, she demanded that the loans be waived off for the artisans.
“A craftsman who used to earn Rs 1,000 a day now struggles to make even Rs 200 because of unchecked machine-made replicas. My appeal to the government is to include these traditional artisans under organized labour welfare benefits, waive the loans of around Rs 180000 extended to them, given their dire financial state,” she said.
Highlighting the historical significance of traditional copper craft introduced to the valley by the 14th-century Persian saint Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, the PDP president demanded strict enforcement of the 2006 handicraft legislation passed during former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure.
The law reserved 26 specific items exclusively for handmade production, banning machine manufacture under penalty of fines and imprisonment.
“These artisans possess golden hands, and if machines are allowed to replicate everything, their skills will become obsolete and perish. How will their families survive?” she said.
She called upon the local MLA and newly inducted minister Ali Mohammad Sagar to take a special interest in safeguarding the artisans.
“The government must intervene. It is fortunate that Ali Mohammad Sagar is not only the local MLA but now a cabinet minister; he should take special interest to safeguard these artisans and ensure machine production is halted,” she added.
Pointing to the civic infrastructure in the area, the former CM said the roads were in “worse condition than rough forest trails”.
“People keep talking about developing the city, but what has actually been done? Much of the development seen here, including community marriage halls, was done during Mufti’s (Sayeed’s) tenure. This isn’t personal for me; Downtown (Shehr-e-Khaas) is our identity and heritage. For God’s sake, respect it, repair the roads and lanes, protect the livelihood of traditional artisans, and stop the influx of machine-made replicas,” she added.
Mehbooba, who also visited the martyrs’ graveyard in Naqshband Sahab locality, called for unhindered public access so that people can pay their respects and prayers.
“I went there today, prayed, and recited Fateha (special prayers). When I looked around, I saw that grass has grown two to three feet tall across the graveyard; it has not even been cleaned or maintained.
“These are our martyrs. People should be allowed to go there freely to recite Fateha, and the site must be properly looked after. Their sacrifices were never in vain, nor will they ever be in vain,” she said.
On July 13, 1931, 22 protestors, protesting against the autocratic rule of Maharaja Hari Singh, fell to the bullets of his soldiers.
(PTI News)
