The headline caught my eye: Valley rejects Pope’s apology, shuts. Wow. They’ve got strong feelings out in California. Oh. Not the San Fernando Valley. Kashmir.

Kashmir today observed complete shutdown. Even as the highest authority of the Catholic church, Pope Benedict XVI, apologised for his comments against Prophet Mohammad, there were no takers in the Valley. …

In Srinagar, all business establishments, government offices, school and colleges remained closed. Public transport too remained off the roads leaving only private vehicles to ply on the city roads.

Reports of complete shutdown also came in from other parts of Kashmir. In Sopore and Baramulla of north Kashmir, the shopkeepers today kept their shutters. Here too, traffic was off the roads. In south Kashmir, Anantnag, Pulwama, Bijbehara, Kulgam and Shopian towns too remained desolated. Even as the Pope Benedict apologised to the Muslim community, people in the Valley said it is not enough. “This is a part of a bigger conspiracy,’ said Aijaz Ahmad, a student of Kashmir University.

“First they hurt the sentiments of Muslims and then apologise. It has become a fashion with the West. A similar thing happened during the Denmark cartoon controversy. This all is a part of definite plan of the West against Muslims.”

Kashmir Valley witnessed several protests in last few days against the Pope. Hundreds of people on Saturday took to the streets. Demonstrators raised slogans against the Pope and the West and demanded severe action against him. The protestors held placards reading “Execute the Pope”. Police had to resort to baton-charge to disperse the protestors. A few were even put in jail.

Interesting. The Pope says something they don’t like — so Muslims in Kashmir close their businesses and stay home.

As referenced on Little Green Footballs today (but basically nowhere in the mainstream media), Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei, has called for attacks on the U.S. . Now, that’s upsetting. Does this mean we can all take a day off, too?

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