JAMMU & KASHMIR: YOUTH STAGE MILITANT RALLY TO PRESS DEMANDS

ON February 3, the Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation (JKDYF) staged a strong protest demonstration at Kulgam, demanding guarantee of livelihood to the educated unemployed youth in the state. Hundreds of energetic JKDYF activists, with placards, festoons and flags in their hands, raised full-throated slogans to press their demands for employment, decent living conditions and democratic rights.

Addressing the rally, JKDYF state president Mohammad Iqbal Wani greeted the youth for coming on to the roads to assert their rights, and asked them to open a new front for a better future, security and dignity. He recounted the trials and tribulations through which the youth of the state had to go during recent years and asked the powers-that-be not to take the needs and requirements of this segment of society lightly. He lamented that the state suffered from lack of investment, total absence of an industrial base and decay of its indigenous industries.

Wani also flayed the government for its inefficiency in tackling the issues of unemployment, corruption, peace and security to the youth. He asked it to issue clear instructions to the law enforcing agencies to respect the human dignity and refrain from violation of human rights in the state. He also demanded that harassment of the youth in the state must stop forthwith.

Advocate Arshid Hussain Baba, Farooq Ahmad Brazloo and Mohd Afzal Parray were among others who addressed the rally. They criticised the government for rampant corruption and exploitation of youth in the state. They demanded the creation of an industrial base in the state for generation of jobs, and also demanded regularisation of the services of all daily wagers, casual and contractual workers.

The federation lashed at the government for erratic power supply in the state and non-availability of items of daily need in the far-off areas. It demanded that the government must to sensitise its the field functionaries to provide respite to the people during the ongoing winter.

Later a memorandum listing the demands of youth, was handed over to the deputy commissioner of Kulgam.

The memorandum said the Jammu Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation (JKDYF) feels honoured in representing the aspirations of the thousands of educated unemployed youth in the state and believes in peaceful democratic struggle to achieve its goals in regard to employment, free education, peace, security and development.

The memorandum said the youth of the state have borne the main brunt of widespread violence in the state for the last 22 years. Many of them have lost their lives, many are languishing in the jails and lakhs feel frustrated as a result of the pervading unemployment. The promises made by the successive governments in the state have been broken and, despite all the tall talk, there has been no improvement in the life of youth of the state. The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Youth Federation has been championing the cause of the youth in the state and is waging a struggle for an improvement in their life.

A huge army of educated youth has been rendered jobless, thanks to the policies pursued by the successive governments, which have resulted in dismay and frustration of the youth across the State. In our state the unemployment problem has increased manifold due to corrupt state of affairs and political hegemony. To tackle this problem, a comprehensive employment policy needs to be formulated in the state to make best use of the talent and potential that our youth posses.

In continuation of its resolve to strive for the democratic, legal and constitutional rights to the youth of the state, the JKDYF reiterated the following demands through its memorandum.

1) Restoration of peace through dialogue, reconciliation and settlement of issues.

2) Right to work as a legally enforceable fundamental right in the constitution.

3) Promotion of employment oriented education and vocational training to enhance the youth employability.

4) Immediate redressal of the issues of public importance like rising prices, erratic power supply, non-availability of essential commodities and strengthening of public distribution system.

5) Special funds for intermediate, college and universities for training, seminar, consultation and awareness programmes for the students and youth.

6) Regularisation of all daily wagers, casual and contractual workers.

7) Minimisation of delays in and simplification of procedures for sanction of loans to the youth under the self-employment schemes.

8) Making the state administration corruption free and immediate weeding-out of the corrupt elements.

9) Creation of an industrial base in the state with the aim of job-oriented development and economic progress of the state.

10) Putting an end to all sorts of harassment of youth within and outside state.

11) Release of the innocent youth languishing in jails without trial.

12) A high level, credible enquiry into all cases of killings and disappearances in the state during the last 22 years.

13) Formulation of a state youth policy, formation of state youth council and creation of an action plan to be implemented and evaluated by youth.

14) Allocation of adequate funds to the department of youth services and sports for youth development.

15) Regulation and modernisation of the existing system relating to health of the young people, improvement in the health facilities across the state in the matter of nutrition, sanitation, hygiene and safe drinking water. Special emphasis on treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and rehabilitation of drugs addicts.

Source: www.pd.cpim.org/

ORISSA SEMINARS ON KASHMIR PROBLEM: ‘DIALOGUE, AUTONOMY, DEVELOPMENT ARE ESSENTIAL’

KASHMIR is shedding tears and spills blood every now and then, and that is what underlines the necessity of solving the Kashmir problem expeditiously. This was the emotion-choked cry of Yousuf Tarigami, secretary of the Jammu & Kashmir state committee of the CPI (M), at a seminar he addressed Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, on “Kashmir Problem & National Integration” on December 27, 2010. He also expressed his confidence that the Kashmir problem, though very complicated, can be solved through dialogue, by restoration of autonomy and ensuring economic development.

Held at the IDCOL Auditorium in Bhubaneswar, the seminar was chaired by Sivaji Patnaik, former member of parliament. Others who addressed the seminar were All India Bar Council’s former chairman Jagannath Patnaik, CPI (M)’s Orissa state secretary Janardan Pati, and the party’s state secretariat member Santosh Das. Tarigami, a member of the CPI (M) Central Committee, also addressed two more seminars at Berhampur and Rourkela on December 26 and 28, 2010 respectively. These seminars were organised by the CPI (M)’s Orissa state committee as part of the Kashmir solidarity campaign in response to the call of the Central Committee.

Recalling the history of Kashmir and India, Tarigami recalled how the people of Kashmir rejected the two-nation theory of Jinnah and decided to integrate themselves with the Indian Union. Jinnah was of the opinion that inclusion of Kashmir in Pakistan was the divine right of the latter since the former happened to be a Muslim dominated region. But the people of Kashmir rebuffed Jinnah that if they were Muslims, they were also human beings and they were Kashmiris as well. It was with this feeling that they fought the Pathan raiders in 1947. this was at a time when the ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, was reluctant to join the Indian Union and sign the instrument of accession with the latter, and was aiming to form a Hindu theocratic state (Hindu Rashtra) in Kashmir.

Referring to article 370 of the Indian constitution, Tarigami said that without this article India has no constitutional relationship with Kashmir. It is mentioned in the instrument of accession, signed between Maharaja Hari Singh and the Indian Union, that barring the external affairs, defence & communication all other powers would be enjoyed by the state of Jammu & Kashmir as part of its autonomy. The constituent assembly that incorporated article 370 in Indian constitution comprised representatives of the National Conference nominated by Maharaja Hari Singh. Kashmir, told Tarigami, happens to be the apple of discord between India and Pakistan and that has so far led to three wars (in 1947, 1965 and 1971) and to a limited war in Kargil, besides leading to the nuclearisation of South Asia. Both countries say they are facing a severe paucity of money to spend on poverty alleviation programmes, for creation of jobs for youth and to address the woe of the farmers, but yet they have enough money to strengthen their respective arsenals.

As it is today, the army has been torturing the people of Kashmir and even the CBI inquiries have confirmed this truth. During the last several months, 112 young men are killed by the army. The stone pelting youth are sought to be rebuffed with bullets. The Kashmir situation needs a political solution. Though the recent parliamentary delegation created some good impact, there was a sad stagnation as the follow-up. It would have been proper for the central government to constitute a committee comprising leaders of political parties. Along with organising a continuing dialogue with the people of Kashmir, the government of India should also hold composite talks with Pakistan to overcome the crisis, opined Tarigarmi. He expressed his gratitude to the people of Orissa and the enlightened audience that have showed interest in a solution of the Kashmir problem.

Jagannath Patnaik, a reputed lawyer, asserted that the failure to meet the aspiration of the people of Kashmir is the root cause of the problem. Interpreting article 370, he told that the essence of the article is that the conditionality of the instrument of accession could not be violated. Referring to the Supreme Court judgement, he recalled that when the indirect election to Lok Sabha from Jammu & Kashmir was challenged in 1961, the apex court had said in its judgement that it was not a violation of the constitution. Patnaik also said positive impact on Kashmir could be ensured by easing the Indo-Pak tensions.

Janardan Pati, in his address, told that it was not the strength of military but dialogue, brotherhood, secularism and restoration of autonomy to Jammu & Kashmir that would pave the way for a solution of the Kashmir problem. This also requires the grant of regional autonomy to Jammu, the Kashmir valley and Ladakh, and a normalisation of the Indo-Pak relations.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org/

JAMMU & KASHMIR - Use Non-Lethal Means to Face Protestors

Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, secretary of the CPI (M)’s Jammu & Kashmir state unit, issued the following statement from Srinagar on September 13.

TODAY’S unfortunate incidents, which have resulted in death of number of people and injured dozens of protestors, have sent shock waves to the entire population. The families of victims have suffered losses which are irreparable.

The CPI (M) conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We have been consistently demanding that the administration must strictly follow a no-firing policy while facing the protestors. Instead, other, non-lethal measures have to be resorted to in such situations.

The CPI (M) appeals to the people, particularly the youth, to be vigilant and not allow protests to be diverted into violent channels. Otherwise, it can only lead to disruption of the common man’s life and cause damage to the public property.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org