Srinagar, Jun 11: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) organised a one-day convention at Tagore Hall here, demanding the “immediate restoration” of constitutional rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The event was presided over by senior CPI(M) leader Ghulam Nabi Malik and attended by prominent party members and national leaders.
Key speakers included CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, MPs Amra Ram, Bikash Ranjan Battacharya, and M.Y. Tarigami, as well as other party leaders.
Addressing the convention, Baby lauded the role of Kashmiris for holding spontaneous protests over the gruesome killings of the unarmed tourists on April 22, 2025, at Pahalgam. “Unity among the people is necessary to thwart the forces of disharmony in the society,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said the party has been firm that restoration of Article 370, statehood and other legitimate constitutional rights will pave the way for building confidence among the people of J&K, which is quite necessary for peace in the area. “Post Pahalgam incident, we demanded for summoning of a special session of Parliament to discuss the current security situation in J&K and the emerging escalation between the two countries, but the government seems to be reluctant to face the opposition,” he said.
Amra Ram, MP and President Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, asserted that whenever there was the question of democratic rights of the people of J&K, CPI(M) vehemently favoured the restoration of these rights, which were “unceremoniously snatched” on August 5, 201,9 even without consulting the stakeholders. “Aftermath of the Pahalgam episode, escalation on borders gravely devasted various residential houses at border areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Keran, Tangdar claiming innocent lives, huge loss to livestock and properties,” he said, adding that a “meager” compensation of Rs 1.30 lakh per household is “merely an eyewash” which needs to be enhanced substantially.
Bikash Ranjan Battacharya, Member of Parliament, said, “Kashmiryat is a symbol of unity and brotherhood which withstood its testimony during 1947 partition when the whole of the sub-continent was engulfed in bloodshed. This unity needs to be strengthened in the larger interest of the people of J&K. The CPI(M) will strongly pursue the restoration of constitutional rights to the people of J&K in the Parliament.”
Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami, senior leader and MLA Kulgam, said, “During the testing times aftermath of August 5, 2019, the CPI(M) on national level vehemently opposed the constitutional onslaught of abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of the state into two separate union territories unilaterally which was a direct assault on the bond of relationship of J&K with the union of India. This is the sole example in the country where the boundaries of the state were changed by imposing curfew, restrictions on media/press, detaining of the political leadership and activists.”
He called on the government to honour its commitment to restore full statehood and address issues like unemployment, youth arrests and regional economic concerns.
The convention was also addressed by MPs John Brittas, A.A. Ahmad, Su Venkatesan, and K. Radhakrishnan, alongside other senior leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Malik and Mohd Abass Rather.
