The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) along with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the CPI (M-L) New Democracy held demonstrations in the Capital on Tuesday to protest against the continuing violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Students from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia besides youth activists participated in the SFI-DYFI demonstration at Parliament Street. The meeting was addressed by Yusuf Tarigami, CPI (M) leader and MLA in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Addressing the demonstrators, Mr. Tarigami was critical of the Central and the J&K Government for failing to address the situation in the State and restore normalcy.
“Both the Central and the State Government betrayed the people of Kashmir especially the youth who had participated in democratic processes and the state election held one and a half years ago,” Mr. Tarigami said.
He said the situation in Kashmir posed serious threats to the secular democratic fabric of the country and that the Prime Minister should have visited the Valley himself. Mr. Tarigami wondered why even when Parliament was in session no delegation of members has visited the Valley.
The CPI (M-L) New Democracy meeting held at Jantar Mantar besides condemning State violence supported the “Kashmiri people's struggle for their democratic aspirations including the right to self-determination”.
Speakers at the meeting alleged that the Government was using the situation for increasing military presence.