The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — CPI (M) senior leader and former Kulgam legislator, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday said that the Panchayati Raj system is not new in Jammu and Kashmir, but it existed even before the partition here and that the government must not push the people towards the wall.

Addressing a press conference at his Gupkar residence, Tarigami, as per the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the Prime Minister has made an appeasing statement for the youth, but questioned why several youths were put behind the bars ahead of the visit.

“The Prime Minister has made tall claims to appease the youth, but it won’t serve the cause as there is a need to change the ground situation. What matters for the youth is to provide them employment, ensure a free atmosphere for them and give them security,” he said.

“I want to inform the government that the anger is increasing and don't push them to the wall. Also, don’t consider silence as normalcy,” Tarigami said.

He added that the government is beating the drums with regard to the Panchayat Raj system here, but the fact is that it is nothing new in J&K as such a system was already existing in the Union territory even before the partition.

Tarigami further added that the government at present is claiming the new Kashmir, but the fact remains that this all existed in 1944, which is the outcome of the people's movement.

He added that the implementation of GST was a big blow to the federal structure of India. “The government has claimed that the States will get their share under GST, but nothing has been given to the States so far,” he said.

Tarigami further said that the situation has changed on the ground as the Governors at present have become parallel centres in States, especially the places where Opposition governments exist.

He further stated that the Prime Minister in a meeting of J&K leaders said ‘Doori Door Karni Hai’, but unfortunately, nothing happened on the ground.

About the present power scenario, Tarigami said that the government should intervene and that 50 per cent of electricity being generated from J&K should be given to the consumers here so that the people could heave a sigh of relief.

“At present 45 per cent of electricity supplied to different states is being generated from J&K and the government should intervene to provide at least 50 per cent to the consumers here,” he said.

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SRINAGAR — General Secretary of CPI (M), Sitaram Yechury on Thursday demanded an early hearing of the petition in Supreme Court (SC) challenging the abrogation of Article 370 by the government on August 05, 2019, and said that it was not only Kashmir Pandits who have suffered in the valley, but Muslims, Sikhs and others too have borne the brunt.

As per news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), while addressing a news conference here at Gupkar residence of party leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, Yechury said that a movie titled ‘The Kashmir Files’ has been released with an aim to worsen the situation on the ground. “The people belonging to any religion or sect including Muslims, Sikhs and Kashmiri Pandits have suffered equally in Kashmir. One fails to understand why the role of then-Governor was not highlighted in the movie. His role should have also been highlighted,” he said.

He further added that the Kashmiris as a whole have suffered, even the leaders have been attacked here. “Everyone has been fighting militancy equally,” he said.

Yechury also demanded an early hearing of a petition filed in the SC against the abrogation of Article 370 and added that until the petition is heard, the government should at least be barred from taking decisions and introducing new laws here.

He also said that the situation across the country has worsened, people have been suffering badly, unemployment at an all-time high and such is the situation that the youth have even now stopped searching for jobs.

“The situation of India is worsening rapidly as the constitutional pillars are being distracted,” he said, adding that it is the time to save the country and address the day to day issues of people.

Meanwhile, Tarigami, who was accompanying him, told the media persons that Kashmir is not a piece of land, but it has a history of 5000 years.

“The incumbent regime is putting the laws aside to take any decision with regard to Jammu and Kashmir. There is a need to save the democratic institutions and the country as well,” he said, adding that instead of rubbing salt on the wounds of people, there is a need to heal the wounds of people.

About ‘The Kashmir Files’, Tarigami said that the party is demanding the constitution of a commission to check the facts on the ground to know who has suffered in the Valley.

He added that the CPI (M) has decided that in collaboration with other major parties, it will strengthen the unity among the communities everywhere as the attempts are on to create a wedge between the different communities.

Tarigami also said that the conference held by the party has also passed a resolution in which different issues confronting the people have been highlighted.

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SRINAGAR — The political parties in Jammu and Kashmir criticized the directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with regard to the constitution of Village Defense Guards (VDGs) in the Union Territory.

Pertinently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered the formation of Village Defence Guards in Jammu and Kashmir.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former J&K chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti said the formation of VDGs is contrary to the Government of India’s claims regarding normalcy in J-K.

In a tweet, she also stated that such a move will create a wedge between the communities here.

“MHAs move to form Village Defence Committees across J&K is another addition to a slew of decisions that contradict GOIs much-touted normalcy claims. Clearly, J&K is far from any semblance of normalcy. It will also create a wedge between communities,” Mehbooba tweeted.

National Conference (NC) spokesman, Imran Nabi Dar told the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the move is a stark acceptance by the Government of India that the situation is not good in Jammu and Kashmir. “The government has accepted that there is large-scale militancy in J&K and that’s why they are finding a need to form a particular group,” he said.

“The other important thing is that the group should not be formed in a way that would put communities against each other as has happened in the past. We are witness to incidents earlier wherein some VDC members used their weapons against their own persons. Therefore, the move will have repercussions and the government needs to come up with better alternatives and they need to accept that everything is not good as is being claimed,” Dar said.

Apni Party spokesman, Javid Hassan Beig told KNO that the government should have instead strengthened the security grid rather than providing weapons to the civilians.

“To curb militancy, such measures are being taken, but at the same time, there is every possibility of repercussion when a civilian is being asked to take a weapon. I believe that it is the belt and uniform that makes a person accountable, but in the case of civilians, there is hardly any possibility of accountability,” he said, adding that the government should have focused on strengthening the security grid by coming up with fresh recruitments in police and other forces.

Peoples Conference (PC) spokesman, Adnan Ashraf termed it as a disturbing development as the actions of VDCs in the past are known to all and it creates a perception that one community is being armed and supported by the government, which in result may not be conducive for maintaining peace in mixed populations.

“We have seen in the past how VDC members committed atrocities on people of that region and the reason behind banning VDCs in the past was the excesses of these people. I think the government should revisit its decision to create VDGs and if the law and order in such areas are not under control, the state police force has enough manpower and ability to maintain law and order. The creation of VDGs is an unnecessary step and it will only lead to a negative perception among the minority communities in those regions that these groups have been formed against them,” he said.

CPI (M) senior leader and former Kulgam legislator, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami said that the decision must be revisited as it is unwarranted amid the government claims about normalcy and decline in violence.

“There are reportedly dozens of cases registered in police stations against the misconduct of many of VDCs, which were constituted at a time when the militancy was rising and now when the government claims that violence has come down and normalcy is restored, then what is the necessity of reconstitution of these VDGs,” he said.

He added, "One wonders as this is in contradiction to the government claims. CPI (M) strongly feels that such measures are unwarranted at this time and must be revisited,” he said, adding that priority should be to provide relief to the people and ensure that restrictions imposed on the movement of political, social activities must be withdrawn."

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