The ‘unconstitutional and undemocratic’ decision to revoke the special status of the erstwhile Jammu Kashmir state has created a big political void and deep uncertainty, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami said on Sunday.
The former legislator reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu Kashmir, which was acknowledged by Article 370 of the Constitution.
The BJP-led government had on August 05, 2019, abrogated this article and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories – Jammu Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“Through the scrapping of the constitutional rights, downgrading and bifurcating a historic state into two union territories, not only has the BJP government undermined the basic structure of the Constitution but the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the union itself,” Tarigami said during the addressing the 10th regional conference of CPIM(M)’s Jammu unit here.
The conference, which was attended by hundreds of delegates, unanimously passed several resolutions on price rise, unemployment, agriculture, unity in the union territory, labour laws and education.
“And the only way to put things back on track is by immediately restoring the constitutional rights and statehood to the erstwhile state of Jammu Kashmir,” the CPI(M) leader said.
He laughed off the claims made by the government on increasing investments, development and job avenues in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of new land and domicile laws saying they were “dreams and not reality”.
“Today, one gets surprised to see the economic condition in Jammu and Kashmir, and the status of jobs. Look what has happened to the land rights people had possessed after a hard struggle.
“Protection of jobs and land rights ceased to operate, which deepened the alienation and sense of insecurity in both the regions,” he said, adding “the economy of Jammu and Kashmir has virtually collapsed and employment opportunities are shrinking,” he said.
Earlier, inaugurating the delegate session, party secretary G N Malik condemned the policies pursued by the BJP government and alleged that Centre’s August 5, 2019, decision broke the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy.
“Not only people of the Valley, but residents of Jammu and Ladakh, too, are suffering because of the wrong policies of the BJP government,” he said.
“In the Jammu region, too, dissatisfaction is visible and voices of dissent are emerging. Though it is a difficult situation, we hope the struggle for the restoration of our legitimate constitutional rights will continue,” he said. PTI