[Reader-list] End Economic Blokade of Kashmir Valley - CPI (ML)

[Kashmir Affairs]

End Economic Blockade of Kashmir Valley



New Delhi, August 13, 2008.  Delhi Committee of CPI(ML) New Democracy

organized a program at Jantar Mantar from 1130 onwards to demand that the

blockade of Kashmir be lifted forthwith, curfew be lifted and firing and

repression by armed forces in J&K on common people be stopped immediately.

Condemning the communal conspiracies of rulers and ruling class parties

against the people of Jammu and Kashmir the party demanded that ex-CM

Azad, Mufti and ex-Governor Sinha be prosecuted.



Students, working class leaders, youth and several intellectuals took part

in the protest. The protestors held posters displaying their demands.



Speakers condemned the rulers of J&K –the trimuverate of Azad, Mufti and

Sinha- for blatantly and insensitively creating a situation where the

people of Kashmir feel threatened over their right to their own land. As

it is, the ruling classes of India have trampled underfoot the democratic

aspirations of the people of Kashmir and subjected them to severe

repression and blatant violations of democratic rights. Now, after

literally forcing the Kashmiri people to take to the streets to defend

their rights to their land, the ruling class parties have pitted the

people of Jammu against them in a bid to fan communal divisions among the

people. People in all parts of the state are bearing the brunt of armed

forces repression, especially the people of the Kashmir Valley.



The issue, which has baselessly been projected at being at stake, is the

Amarnath Yatra which has been on for over a century, with arrangements

being made by the Government of Kashmir and local Kashmiri Muslims aiding

the pilgrims. People of the entire country know this to be the fact which

is why it makes no sense for any organisation in Jammu to  say they are

fighting for the rights of Hindu pilgrims-it is crystal clear that leaders

of Congress and BJP are fanning and leading the so called reaction in

Jammu.



To add fuel to the fire, the government of India is busy denying the fact

of economic blockade of Kashmir, even as it’s Defence Minister offers

assurances that fruits will be purchased and consumed by ‘school children

and CRPF’! – where is there need of such steps if no blockade exists? In

fact, an all out attempt is on by the government to alienate and isolate

the people of the Valley, further curb their democratic space and

communalize the entire situation-in which it is being ably assisted by the

BJP.



Com. Aparna (Delhi Party Secretary), Dr. Mrigank (Pres. Naujawan Bharat

Sabha), Ms. Poonam Kaushik (Gen Secy. Pragatisheel Mahila Sanghatan),

Dr.Animesh Das (President IFTU, Delhi) and known intellectuals like, Ish

Mishra, Tapan Bose, Gautam Navlakha and Mir Imtiaz addressed the

gathering.



CPI(ML) New Democracy demands the immediate lifting of economic blockade

of Kashmir, lifting of curfew and stop to repression of people of J&K and

prosecution of Azad-Mufti and Sinha. (Ends)



APARNA

Secy. Delhi Committee

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