Srinagar, Aug 05: “August 05, 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 heralded an all-round attack on the rights of citizens in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Central Committee of the CPI(M) said on Saturday .
The party in a statement issued here said, “The last five years under Central rule have seen steps to alter the very identity of Jammu and 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.”
“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 has been adversely affected,” it said. “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 CPI(M) added, “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. 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.”
The party said the Centre should reverse all the measurers that erode the domicile status of the permanent residence of J&K and protect their land rights.
