NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Rival resistance groups in the Kashmir Valley closed ranks on Saturday against Jammu-based Hindu activists, who have stalled all transport services to Srinagar, and vowed to establish a trade corridor with Muzaffarabad to defy the crippling blockade.

Press Trust of India said a range of Kashmiri groups proposed to march to the Line of Control, from where they would try to drive trucks across to Muzaffarabad with their cargo of apples and other merchandise they said are “rotting due to the economic blockade” by protesters in Jammu.

“Our fruit is rotting due to economic blockade of the valley by Jammu agitators. We are forced to find alternative route to take our fruits to various markets through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road,” chairman of hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani told journalists in Srinagar.As he spoke, JKLF chief Yasin Malik remained in a serious condition in a hospital where he continued to be on a fast unto death even as doctors struggled to force-feed him with intravenous glucose.

His family said Mr Malik who has a heart condition was accepting only some medicine orally but refused to eat or drink in protest against the government’s refusal to be the honest broker in the standoff with Hindu militants in Jammu in a temple land row.

Mr Geelani, speaking after two-day long parleys among various separatist groups, traders, manufacturers, fruit growers and transporters, said it was decided at the coordination committee meeting that fruit growers will proceed to Muzaffarabad on August 11.

PTI said Mr Geelani was flanked by representatives of rival factions of the Hurriyat, JKLF, transporters, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce, traders’ federation, Kashmir Bar Association, fruit growers association and women’s group Dukhtaran-e-Millat. This would be perhaps the first time in many years that so many diverse groups have come together on a common issue.

Mr Geelani, who too is seriously ill, said the government of India is “playing the role of a mute spectator to the situation” in Kashmir. He appealed to the people of Jammu to lift the blockade.

The Hurriyat leader also said the people of Kashmir would not allow restoration of the government order regarding transfer of the land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.