People's Democracy

JAMMU & KASHMIR

CPI(M) Stresses on Indo-Pak Dialogue

Abdul Rashid

URGING India and Pakistan to cut their military spending and focus on dialogue in order to resolve the outstanding issues, the CPI(M) has said confrontation over the past six decades has not yielded anything except miseries and sufferings for the people in the whole region. It stated that if the establishments of the two countries failed to rise to the occasion, the people in both the countries might be forced to adopt alternatives to create the prospects of a better future.

Addressing a meeting on the 19th death anniversary of veteran kisan leader Abdul Kabir Wani at Kulgam on December 31, CPI(M) state secretary M Y Tarigami said there is growing realisation in larger sections of population in both countries that dialogue is the only way out to settle the contentious issues. The leadership of the two countries must capitalise on the this consensus across the border. “As the world is set to welcome the New Year today, I urge upon the leadership of the two countries to draw lessons from the hostilities between them and the unfortunate skirmishes in the last over 60 years. India and Pakistan must overcome the negative attitudes integral to their domestic politics as it is in the interest of the whole region not to let hostilities to dominate their discourse,” he stressed.   

The CPI(M) leader observed that in view of the present world order it has become inevitable for the two countries to reverse their policy directions, and the alternative lies in a massive hike in investment on dialogue and in building bilateral bonds. “This will surely create significant new opportunities to sort out differences and contribute to the demand in both the countries. A meaningful, sustainable and more inclusive dialogue can be set in motion with such an alternative policy direction. This is all the more relevant in the present global context,” Tarigami opined.

He said there are many challenges to a result oriented dialogue, but a conscious and gradual approach is needed to remove the layers of negative disposition among the people, especially the political class, and socialise them to a positive temperament. He added: “Of course it has to be a gradual process and it may take time but the change of attitude is possible.” He said in Jammu and Kashmir, people in general and the youth in particular have been the worst sufferers of the decades old conflict between the two countries, but to secure the coming generations the leadership across the border needs to stand up for a paradigm change in their respective positions.

Referring to the Pulwama firing which led to injuries to many civilians, the CPI(M) leader said it is unfortunate that instead of bringing the culprits responsible for this avoidable incident to justice, the administration is furthering the sufferings of people by imposing restrictions on them. “People in Pulwama are suffering for want of basic necessities and the restrictions imposed have created more sufferings for them,” he added.

Expressing regrets over the passing away of Delhi gang rape victim, the CPI(M) leader said Kashmir too has many rape victims who still crave for justice and the government of the day must review the outdated laws in this regard. “It should be seen how to make the existing laws more stringent to tackle such crimes. Besides, fast track courts should be introduced to dispose off the already pending cases of this nature. Above all the society needs to stand up against these crimes so that women feel secure and safe in their homes and outside.”

Veteran kisan leader Ghulam Nabi Malik, referring to corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, said strong political will was needed in order to control this menace and the present dispensation might have to take some bold decisions if it is really serious to tackle this problem. “This merciless loot of public resources, denying our people a better life, cannot end unless there is strong political resolve to tackle this menace. The effectiveness of this fight cannot be ensured unless it is linked with fighting the economic reforms that are continuously opening avenues for corruption in high places,” Malik opined.

Presiding over the meeting, Kisan leader Abdul Hamid Wani observed that instead of tackling corruption, the administration seemed promoting it. “It seems the administration is suffering from a multi-organ failure and the only organ which is working is that of corruption. The government had promised that it would remove corrupt officers; later it was said that the list of corrupt officers has been prepared. But I would like to ask what happened to that list.  Ironically, instead of sacking  these corrupt employees, the government is placing them in key positions, which means promoting the culture of corruption in the state,” Wani added.

Other speakers on the occasion included Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone, Mohd Afzal Parray and Arshid Hussain Baba. They criticised the government for failing to provide basic amenities to people, particularly its helplessness vis-à-vis the electricity crisis in the state. “On the one hand there has been a steep hike in electrify tariff and on the other there is no electricity in the state particularly in rural areas.”

The participants who had come in huge numbers from across the valley, despite the curfew imposed in Pulwama district and the call for Kashmir bandh given by the separatists, paid glowing tributes to the veteran kisan leader Abdul Kabir Wani who died 19 years ago. The speakers described him as a dedicated revolutionary and a dignified human being, and he remained undaunted while struggling for preservation of secular traditions of our people. Most of the speakers urged the participants to uphold the principles of secularism, progressive thought, peace and unity, as this was the most suitable way to remember the Comrade Wani.