While urging the government to release political leaders and workers detained after August 5 last year, CPI (M) leader MY Tarigami Thursday said prolonged detentions were a sign that things were remain far from normal in Kashmir.
He said though J&K People’s Movement leader Shah Faesal and two Peoples Democratic Party leaders, SartajMadani and Peer Mansoor were released from detention on Wednesday, political prisoners, including PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, Nayeem Akhter, Ali Muhammad Sagar and Hilal Akbar Lone must be released without any further delay.
He said other leaders, including Peoples Conference Chairman SajadGani Lone who were released earlier, have since been kept under house detention which should be put an end immediately.
“Also hundreds of activists, including some teenagers, who are either languishing in jails within J&K or outside must be released now. Moreover there are many Kashmiris who have been languishing in jails over several years, some without trial. They must be given a fair chance to defend themselves in courts,” Tarigami said.
He said the dissent should always have a place in a democratic society. “Curbing the dissent and those holding a contradictory viewpoint has proved counterproductive,” he said.
Tarigami said the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir must be a cause of concern for every right thinking citizen of the country.
He said there was no freedom to write and speak as there were restrictions everywhere. “At a time when COVID19 pandemic has engulfed the whole world and people rely heavily on the internet, the same facility is being denied to people of J&K,” Tarigami said.
He said the low speed internet was impeding the work-from-home regimen of professionals, including doctors, and students attending online classes.