Srinagar: The CPI (M) on Monday demanded release of all political leaders, activists, and also the restoration of communication network in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Even after nearly a year of the unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370 and 35(A), large-scale detention of hundreds of people including all prominent political leaders, the virtual disruption of regular socio-economic life of the people and curtailing communication network, the situation continues to remain critical,” CPI (M) said in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)
The party said that during the period of the national lockdown that was imposed over and above the political lockdown in Jammu & Kashmir for nearly a year, the Central government has altered the definition of domicile status to permit people from outside to procure government jobs and purchase property, thereby bringing about a demographic transformation in Jammu & Kashmir.
“Serious violations of people’s democratic rights and civil liberties continue with all dissenters being treated as anti-national elements and booked under draconian laws,” CPI (M) said during a meeting.
The new media policy announced in the now Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir legalizes the control of the bureaucracy and security officials over what can be published or not. Thereby, abrogating the Constitutional guarantee to the right to free speech and expression, the statement added.
The Central Committee demanded that all those detained since August 2019 must be released, full communications must be restored and the free movement of people allowed. “This is essential for both combating the pandemic effectively and providing relief to the beleaguered people.”—(KNO)
