SRINAGAR: A high-level delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), currently on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, met National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Wednesday and expressed grave concern over the “erosion of democratic institutions” in the Union Territory.
The delegation, led by CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, included senior party MPs Amra Ram, K Radhakrishnan, John Brittas, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, SU Venkatesan, and AA Rahim. They were joined by MY Tarigami, the party’s central committee member and MLA, and State Secretary Mohd Abass Rather. Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani and National Conference Chief Spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq were also present during the meeting.
Discussions during the meeting focused on the prevailing political and humanitarian situation in Jammu and Kashmir, with both sides underlining the importance of peace, dialogue, and the restoration of democratic and constitutional rights. The participants agreed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir desired lasting peace, dignity, and political stability.
Speaking to reporters later, MA Baby criticised the Central government’s handling of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. “The reduction of a full-fledged State into a Union Territory is an attack on democracy. Even elected leaders like Omar Abdullah are excluded from crucial meetings now chaired by the Lieutenant Governor,” he said.
The CPI(M) team had earlier visited Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday to meet residents affected by recent cross-border shelling. The visit comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, an Indian military operation targeting alleged terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and mainland Pakistan. The retaliatory shelling left at least 20 civilians dead and dozens injured in border areas.
Expressing anguish over the conditions in Uri, Baby said, “The situation is highly distressing. Families of eight or more are crammed into single rooms. The Rs 1.30 lakh compensation promised per family is grossly inadequate given the scale of destruction.”
He further said that the CPI(M) would take up the matter in Parliament and push for a special session to discuss the plight of border residents in Poonch, Kupwara, and Baramulla. “The Prime Minister’s rhetoric cannot compensate for the human loss and suffering. There is a dire need for permanent individual shelters in these vulnerable regions,” he added.
The CPI(M) leaders are scheduled to address a day-long party convention at Tagore Hall in Srinagar on Wednesday, focusing on the restoration of constitutional rights and democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
