On the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 35a and 370, the Community Party of India (Marxist) has called for the restoration of democracy in Jammu Kashmir.
In a press release issued to The Kashmiriyat, the party said, the Central Committee of the CPI(M), now in session in New Delhi, has adopted the following resolution:
Restore Democracy in Jammu & Kashmir
Hold Assembly Elections.
“August 5, 2023 marks the completion of four years since the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 being annulled and the state of Jammu and Kashmir dismantled. This assault on the Constitution and federalism presaged an all-round attack on the rights of citizens in Jammu and Kashmir,” read the CPI(M) statement.
The statement further said that the last five years under Central rule have seen steps to “alter the very identity of Jammu Kashmir” with change in domicile laws and land rights. There is a concerted move to change the demography of the state.
The period has seen large scale detention of political leaders and activists using draconian laws like the Public Safety Act and UAPA. Hundreds of political prisoners are still in detention, many of them in jails outside J&K, CPI(M) said.
Despite tall claims, the economic situation has deteriorated with high unemployment, estimated to be three times of the national average.
“The livelihood of different sections of the people like apple growers and small business owners have been adversely affected,” said the press release.
CPI(M/ condemned the curbing of freedom of expression stating that the media has faced severe state repression. “Guidelines have been imposed imposing censorship and curbing freedom of expression. Various journalists are under detention under the draconian laws,” the statement read.
“The basic denial of democracy and democratic rights of the people is seen most acutely in the failure to hold assembly elections to the J&K assembly. Even after a delimitation exercise that was weighted to favour BJP’s interests and reducing the representation of the people of Kashmir valley, the Central government is not holding elections,” said the party.
Thus, in all respects, the people of J&K have been reduced to second class citizens. The Central Committee of the CPI(M), therefore, demands that elections be held to the J&K assembly immediately.
Restoration of democracy requires the release of all political prisoners and an end to the use of draconian laws to suppress the political opposition and the media.
The Centre should reverse all the measurers that erode the domicile status of the permanent residence of J&K and protect their land rights,
The Central Committee expresses the solidarity with the democratic forces and the people of Jammu Kashmir in their struggle to restore their rights, the CPI(M) statement read.