If the Union government indeed believes that abrogation of Article 370 to remove special status for Jammu & Kashmir made people of that State happy and would pave way for their prosperity, why is it scared of allowing people of Kashmir to express their views? This contradiction was highlighted by speakers from various civil society organisations and political parties at a meeting organised by the All India People’s Forum (AIPF) here on Thursday.
Speaking on ‘J&K Lockdown - Implications for Federalism and Democracy’, representatives of AIPF, CPI(M), Human Rights Forum, CPI(ML) and others said all people, political parties should be united against the fascist tendencies and protect the democratic rights of the people of J&K. All political parties, setting aside their ideological differences and organisations and individuals should come together to strengthen democracy and give an alternative choice to people. “It is our historical responsibility. Abolishing J&K’s special status is illegal and against federal principles of Constitution,” the speakers asserted.
People across India, in every village and town should oppose oppression wherever it was used. Otherwise, in future, it would be repeated elsewhere, they warned.
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Kavita Krishnan, president, AIPF said the voice of the people of J&K was silenced as the government practically cut off all communication from the area. Innocent children were getting killed due to pellet injuries, even if they stepped outside their homes to play. There were thousands of such stories but the nation was not getting to hear the anguish of Kashmiri people. People were getting only the government’s version, she said. Ajit Doval, Security Advisor, GOI claimed people of J&K were happy. “Then why don’t they let people say they are happy. Denying Internet and mobile phone access in the 21st century is akin to cutting off drinking water and electricity and forcing people to live in previous century,” she said.
For the wrongs of a few terrorists, an entire community was being handed over collective punishment. Nathuram Godse had killed Mahatma and should all the upper caste Hindus be punished for it, Ms. Kavita asked. Youth were being picked up and torture was being used as a tool of control against Kashmiri people. If citizens spoke against it, they were branded as anti-national, she said.
Strangely even respected media organisations and some journalists think abolition of special status would help in development of J&K and that its people should let the Centre decide what was good for them. J&K people like NE States have a right to express their wishes and resolve the long-standing dispute peacefully.
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Ms. Kavita said NRC list of Assam did not have over 19 lakh people in its list and they would have to go through tribunals to prove their citizenship. Now the BJP government said they wanted to hold NRC everywhere. The citizenship was being decided on the basis of one’s religion. All democratic and secular people should oppose such draconian decisions. The attempts to create Hindu Rashtra would not be a good place even for all Hindus. It would be good only for the RSS.
Justice Chandra Kumar, retired High Court Judge , said the Centre clamped down on democracy in J&K as it was well aware its action was illegal and hence restored to oppression and not allowing Kashmiris to express themselves.
Veeranna, CPI(M) State Secretary said the nation belonged to all religious groups. Hindus, Muslims and Christians and others lived in harmony in India. The BJP government was trying to divide and disrupt this great culture of unity in diversity.
D.Rajesh of CPI(ML), Badavath Raju, HRF State Secretary, G.V.Ramana, convener, AIPF spoke.