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| Karat's impassioned plea to PM to bring calm to J&K | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
NEW DELHI, Sept 4: The top leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has taken up Kashmir situation with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today. The CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat met the Prime Minister here today after about 10 days of a visit to Kashmir and gave Manmohan Singh a letter regarding the situation in the Valley.
The letter suggests steps to be taken to normalise the tense situation and to find a durable solution to the vexed issue faced by the State. Following the party leader’s meeting with the Prime Minister CPI(M) issued a statement, saying that “the CPI(M) is of the opinion that only by recognising the special status of the state and assuring the Kashmiri people of their identity that a solution can be found. This requires a new political framework in which the bedrock is maximum autonomy.”
The letter urged the Government to avoid resorting to police firing since 66 young men and women lost their lives due to the police firing from June 11, saying that “it is imperative that the approach of resorting to police firing to control the stone pelting crowds should be stopped forthwith. There has to be a distinction between dealing with stone pelting youth and tackling militants resorting to terrorist violence.”
Karat sought compensation for the large number of injured people lodged in hospitals and steps to rehabilitate those who ended up with permanent disabilities. He demanded that Juvenile prisoners should not be kept in jail and all those youth who have no serious charges against them should be released.
He wanted Srinagar and other urban centres to be taken out of the Disturbed Areas Act purview which will make the enforcement of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act redundant. Karat sought reduction in the security forces deployed in the areas which have seen a drastic reduction in militancy. Many of the bunkers in Srinagar localities manned by the paramilitary forces should be removed.
To make up major economic losses suffered due to the continued curfews and strikes for the past two-and-a-half month, the CPI-M urged the Government has to compensate and revive trade and other economic activities of different sections of the people.
The party said that the Prime Minister should take a bold initiative for a political dialogue with all sections of the state. Dialogue should be held with all sections without preconditions.
Karat had visited Srinagar for two days beginning August 22 and had met people from various walks of life and tried to get an assessment about the serious situation prevailing in Kashmir.
In his letter Karat said “the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is another major source of unrest. We have been asking for the amendment of the AFSPA to remove certain draconian provisions. But immediately to solve the problem, the Disturbed Areas Act should be withdrawn from Srinagar as this will make the use of AFSPA redundant in the city. As you are aware, a similar step was taken in Manipur when the Imphal region was exempted from the Act.
“Many of the bunkers manned by the paramilitary forces in the Srinagar localities are unnecessary. They were set up at the height of the militancy in the early 1990s. They should be removed.
“You had assured earlier that there would be zero tolerance for human rights violations. But unfortunately this is not being seen as being implemented on the ground. Action has not been taken against those guilty in the Pathribal incident. The recent Macchil fake encounter case should be taken up and the guilty brought to book. Without such actions, it will not be possible to restore faith in the people that the State will not tolerate excesses and violations of human rights.
“Ultimately, the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved without a political settlement. There has to be a sustained dialogue with all sections of the people of the state. You had taken some initiative in your previous term in government. But they have not been carried forward.
“This is the time to take a bold initiative for a political dialogue with all sections in the state. Only you can initiate such a process by announcing that a dialogue can be held with all sides without preconditions.”
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