People's Democracy

JAMMU & KASHMIR

 

CPI(M) Team Meets All-Party Delegation

 

TERMING the current situation in Kashmir as extremely serious, a seven-member delegation of the CPI(M)’s Jammu and Kashmir state committee, led by its secretary Mohd Yousuf Tarigami, met the all-party parliamentary delegation at Srinagar, September 20, and emphasised the need for some significant political initiatives to resolve the Kashmir problem.

 

The CPI(M) delegation maintained that ignoring or overlooking the nature of the present crisis would be quite ruinous. The CPI(M) state secretary apprised the parliamentary delegation that allowing the Kashmir problem to linger on, would only have a bearing on the precious human lives in Jammu & Kashmir. Besides, it can prove disadvantageous to the people of the country.

 

“The current crisis is the manifestation of aggregation of failed political approaches to resolve the basic problem. There has been a failure to develop and evolve a sustainable, result-oriented dialogue process, debates and discussions aimed at resolving the main problem rather than dealing with its offshoots,” Tarigami told the parliamentary delegation.

 

He reminded the union home minister, P Chidambaram, of his various statements including the one in which the latter had termed Kashmir a “unique problem which require a unique solution.” Tarigami told him that his statement needed to be implemented in letter and spirit.  “This approach needs to be carried forward and strengthened,” he added.

 

“Cutting across the party lines and their respective positions vis-à-vis the Kashmir problem, the Indian parliament is expected to address the long pending Kashmir issue with utmost seriousness. There could be a difference of opinion but that does not denote that Kashmir can be made a battleground for the conflicting political ideology at the cost of the Kashmiris’ genuine political aspirations,” he added.

 

Tarigami cautioned that silent but a significant constituency of wisdom in Kashmir does not want the visit of the all-party parliamentarians to be seen as a failure. Instead, he said, they want that it should visit the separatist leadership and other voices of dissent and send a strong message that Indian parliamentarians are serious about a meaningful dialogue with all shades of political opinion in the state.

 

“Kashmiris at this juncture feel demoralised and disillusioned; your visit should not add to their disillusionment. The time you have spared for us should be spent giving a patient hearing for the families who have lost their near and dear ones to the past three months turmoil. The visiting delegation should visit the hospitals and meet the injured,’ the J&K CPI(M) delegation stressed.

 

Tarigami also expressed the hope that the government of India would restore the dignity and status of the security forces as an institution by sending a strong message down the line that human right violations have no place in the Indian security set-up and can no more be tolerated. “But we also need go ahead with the rehabilitation of families of victims, both who have lost their lives and those who have sustained injuries in last three months,” he told the parliamentary delegation members. (INN)