Restore Article 370 and full statehood to take people of J&K into confidence: M A Baby of CPI(M)

Time of India

a day ago

The CPI (M) general secretary
M A Baby
on Wednesday addressed a party gathering in Srinagar demanding the immediate restoration of
Article 370
and full statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.
Baby was leading party's parliamentary delegation on their two day visit to Kashmir during which they went to the shelling hit areas in Uri of northern Kashmir, met various political leaders and family of Adil Ahmad Shah, a local pony wala who was killed along with 25 tourists in April 22 attack in Pahalgam of southern Kashmir.
"Central government needs to take people of J&K into confidence...If we need to fight terrorism in Kashmir, we need to ensure that democratic rights are restored that were cancelled with the abrogation of Article 370. This has to be restored along with full statehood," said Baby while addressing a party convention here at Tagore Hall in Srinagar.
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"Terrorists committed horrendous crime in Pahalgam on April 22 and they wanted to divide people of J&K and people of India on religious lines. But people of J&K and People of India refused to succumb to their strategy of dividing people," said Baby. The CPI (M) leader said that after April 22 attack in Pahalgam people of J&K stood with the people of India and now it is the time for the central government to do what is necessary to take people of Kashmir into confidence.
"We had problem at the borders but now the ceasefire has been declared. This is the time to reflect on what security lapses led to the murder of innocent people in Pahalgam," said Baby adding, "central govt is ruling J&K as it is a Union Territory. Our demand is that there has to be a special session of the parliament to discuss all these issues."
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The CPI(M) leader rued that despite assembly elections and an elected government, constitutional and democratic rights of people have not been restored here.
"The Unified Command meeting (of security) was led by an employee of the central government-- Lieutenant Governor--and an elected Chief Minister was not even allowed to be present there," said Baby adding, "What will people of J&K think about this. Terrorists will use issues like these to recruit more people."
The CPI(M) leader also reminisced that one of the survivors of
Pahalgam attack
Aarti from Kerela, whose father was killed in front of her eyes has maintained that she may have lost her father here but has found two Kashmiri brothers who helped her through the tough times and are still in touch with her.
"This is the real message from the people of Kashmir to the people of India and the whole world. She still adores the new bond with the people of Kashmir despite the tragic incident in her life," said Baby.
The CPI (M) leaders met parents of Shah, a local pony wala, who was killed in Pahalgam while trying to protect lives of tourists. "Our members of the parliament will raise all the issues on the floor of the both the houses in the parliament," said Baby. The CPI(M) also demanded release of political prisoners, decrease in electricity fee, rationalization of reservation policy and lifting of restrictions on media.
The CPI(M) legislator from Kashmir, Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami, from Kulgam in southern Kashmir, said that the people of J&K are not beggars and have survived the worst of the oppressions with their grit and determination but the actions of August 5, 2019 have far reaching consequences.
"Ours is the only area in the whole region where geographical boundaries were changed by imposing curfew, lockdown and communication blockade," said Tarigami adding, "this assault can be repeated in other parts of the country as well and it has happening right now."
"On August 5, 2019, it was not just an assault on J&K but on the democracy and constitution of this country. It was J&K then and tomorrow it could be Tamil Nadu, Kerela, West Bengal, Orrisa or any other state," said Tarigami adding, "how will media write all this as they are constantly staring at a possible PSA, UAPA or a jail term."
The delegation who visited Kashmir included Lok Sabha MPs Amra Ram, K Radhakrishnan, Su Venkatesan and Rajya Sabha MPs John Brittas, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, A A Rahim.