People's Democracy

TARIGAMI MEETS PM

Safety Concerns, Jobs Issue, Relief Package Discussed

ON May 10 evening, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, secretary of the Jammu & Kashmir state committee of the CPI(M) met the prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, at his official residence in New Delhi. During the one-on-one meeting, the CPI(M) leader discussed a number of socio-political issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir, besides the safety concerns of Kashmiri prisoners following fatal attacks on prisoners across the country. Tarigami also apprised the prime minister of his concerns over the growing unemployment in Kashmir, and outlined some of the initiatives that must be taken by the government of India to address this huge problem. Sufferings caused by the massive earthquake in Chenab valley also came up for discussion during the meeting.

While referring to the fatal attacks on Sarabjeet Singh in Pakistan and Sanaullah Ranjay in a Jammu jail, Tarigami urged the prime minister that the governments of India and Pakistan needed to get away from their established stands and talk straight facts before things go out of control. He said both the murderous assaults that took place in Pakistan and Indian jails were equally condemnable. Terming the murderous assault on a Pakistani citizen inside the Jammu jail as a blot on the country, the CPI(M) leader told Dr Singh that people in Jammu and Kashmir were disappointed over the fact that, whether it was on Sarabjeet or Sanaullah, the recent attacks on prisoners had strained ties between the two neighbouring countries which could have a direct impact on Kashmir.

Echoing the serious concerns and apprehensions about the safety and security of Kashmiri prisoners lodged outside J&K, Tarigami urged the prime minister to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in different jails across the country.

On the growing menace of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir, the CPI(M) leader said that presently over four lakh youth were unemployed in the state and that the number would witness a manifold increase in coming years. He urged the prime minister to create opportunities for the unemployed youth of the state by expanding the job market through different projects. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir wanted that the government of India show determination to tackle the unemployment crisis by providing ample avenues to the J&K youth, both in the government and the private sectors.

Tarigami told the prime minister that besides creating employment opportunities in the government sector, the government of India must take serious initiatives to motivate the private sector to generate employment avenues for the unemployed Kashmiri youth in bulk. He said skill development programmes could be launched to enable these youth to get freely absorbed in the open job market or enter into the entrepreneurship arena.

Be it the border skirmishes, terror attacks on citizens or fatal attacks on prisoners, the people of Jammu and Kashmiri are direct victims of any type of confrontation between India and Pakistan. This was what Tarigami told the prime minister, urging him that the two countries must take measures for engagement and reduction in tension and estrangement across the borders. However, Tarigami conveyed to the prime minister the viewpoint that though the lack of economic packages and employment schemes were the major contributors of the dismal situation in the state, in people’s perception the government of India must urgently take steps to alleviate the deep-rooted alienation among people.

On the massive earthquake that recently hit the Chenab Valley, Tarigami urged the prime minister to extend a Leh type aid and assistance package to the quake hit people of the region so that they could rebuild the infrastructure in the area. The region needs a special package for providing shelter to the people rendered homeless and makeshift arrangements for the school going children as most of the schools in the area have collapsed, he further demanded.