'J&K situation worsened since Article 370 revocation'

THE People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Thursday (5) expressed concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir on the second anniversary of the revocation of its special status (given under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution) by the Narendra Modi government.

It also resolved to continue efforts for the restoration of the “legitimate rights” of its people.

The alliance held a meeting of its constituent parties at the residence of its chairman and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah in Gupkar in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was also attended by PAGD vice chairperson and president of the People Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti, its spokesperson and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader MY Tarigami and senior vice president of Awami National Conference Muzaffar Shah.

Speaking to reporters outside Abdullah’s residence after the meeting, Tarigami said the alliance “reiterated our resolve to continue our struggle for restoration of our legitimate rights”.

'Situation is worsening despite government's tall claims'

“Despite tall claims of the government, the situation since August 5, 2019 is worsening day by day. They claimed that normalcy will be restored and violence will end, but look what they have said on the floor of the Parliament recently in response to a question about statehood. The minister said that statehood will be restored only at an appropriate time when normalcy is restored,” Tarigami said.

It meant that the situation “continues to be abnormal” and the claim of restoring peace in the region has not been achieved by the measures initiated on that “unfortunate day of August 5, 2019”, he added.

Tarigami also asked where was the investment and employment opportunities the Centre claimed the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status will bring. “If you move around whether it is Kashmir or Jammu, or even in fact in Ladakh region as well, whatever development was initiated by the previous governments even that is not yet being completed. They claimed that lot of investment will be made here that will generate employment, that will generate hope for the youngsters, just tell me, where are those projects, where is that investment taking place? Forget about Kashmir, what about Jammu? Ask the chamber there, ask the chamber here and ask the people in Leh,” he said.

Tarigami said none of the promises made by the Centre has been fulfilled. “Rather, implementing such laws which restrict the freedom of the press, of the people, have become an order of the day. While there have been two lockdowns (in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic) elsewhere (in the country), our Kashmir has continuously passed through crackdowns since August 5, 2019,” he said.