People's Democracy

JAMMU & KASHMIR

CPI(M) Agitates on Crucial Issues

ON July 20, CPI(M) state secretary M Y Tarigami, MLA, welcomed the continuation of the Indo-Pak dialogue for settling the bilateral issues, despite the condemnable acts of terror in Mumbai recently. Appealing to the prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh to take bold initiatives for starting a fresh round of dialogue with all shades of opinion to resolve the vexed Kashmir issue, he maintained that peace in Kashmir is unthinkable without peace between the two neighbouring countries.

Addressing a huge rally of party workers at Srinagar on the day, Tarigami said the CPI(M) firmly believed that peace was imperative for development and negotiations are the only way for evolving solutions on the knotty issues involved.

For this rally, thousands of CPI(M) workers converged at the state capital from across the valley and took out a protest rally from the TRC Grounds to the Lal Chowk, raising slogans against the price rise, unemployment, corruption and poor public services. The march moved through the main city before it culminated at the Lal Chowk. They were holding placards highlighting the issues concerning the common man.

Addressing the rally at Lal Chowk, the CPI(M) state secretary said the protest march was organised to voice protest against the excruciating price rises and the rising corruption in the state and the country, and to draw the government’s attention towards addressing these vital issues. The successive price escalations have directly affected the economy of the people and it is difficult for a common man to make both ends meet due to inflation. Pro-people economic reforms and a boost to the primary sector can be instrumental in containing the inflation, he said, adding that successive governments at the centre and in the state have failed to initiate effective actions in this regard.

Referring to the menace of corruption that is eating up the vitals of our society, Tarigami lamented that the governments have not been serious about combating it. Corruption, in its many manifestations, is getting institutionalised and encouraged, he regretted, saying that a common man is compelled to bribe someone for getting every petty work done in the offices. He wondered that high-ups in the governments and bureaucracy were patronising the corrupt practices and that the corrupt elements go scot-free even after the establishment of their guilt in embezzlements and scandals. Scams and malpractices have become an order of the day and such incidents do occur every now and then at the state and national levels, blotting our polity and bureaucracy. Black money in the country is running a parallel economy and tax evaders are enjoying the favour of the power, which will be hazardous for the economy in the future.

According to Tarigami, if only the government had been been serious about curbing corruption, the State Accountability Commission would have not remained headless for a petty long time. He demanded immediate appointment of its chairman, and also demanded the setting up of State Judicial Commission to bring the conduct of judiciary under its purview. Advocating for an effective public grievance mechanism to protect the citizens’ charter, he said that the democratic institutions at the grossroots level demand empowerment and authority to ensure quick delivery of services and check the corrupt practices. Another demand he made was about the establishment of a State Planning Commission  and appointment of state information commissioners for effective implementation of the RTI Act which is a powerful tool available to the people to face corruption and maintain transparency in the public delivery system.

Expressing anguish over the increasing graph of unemployment in the state, CPI(M) state secretary urged upon the state government to initiate measures for creation of ample jobs for  the unemployed youth; he dais a revival of the public sector units and promotion of primary sectors could be helpful in this regard. He said that the announcement of one lakh jobs under technical quota should be given a practical shape and, likewise, job assurances should be made for unskilled manpower.

Addressing the rally, J&K Kisan Tehreek general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Malik invited the attention of the government to the problems facing the working class and the farmers. He said the minimum wages should be enhanced in the context of the present price line. This has also become inevitable due to implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations. He said that the CPI(M) and the Kisan Tehreek have since long been demanding implementation of crop and livestock insurance schemes in the state and the disbursement of pending relief offered to those affected by natural calamities in the state. He urged an enhancement of the allocations for agriculture and allied sectors and ensured food security in the state. Boosting the primary sectors would discourage the imports, he added.