KL Report
Srinagar
Urging both state as well as central government to read ‘writing on the wall’, CPI (M) State secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami Sunday lamented impunity to guilty security personnel for killing innocents in Jammu and Kashmir.
Talking to KNS, Tarigami described the Gool incident as a very tragic “which has shattered entire Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Protest is a basic political and constitutional right of people and there is no justification for reciprocating it with use of forces, beating people, smashing window panes of houses, vehicles. This is condemnable,” he said.
The MLA Kulgam said that Gool like incident was not the first of kind as the “ill-fated state like Jammu and Kashmir is full of such tragedies.”
“But much to the disappointment of people of J&K, there was no positive response from both state as well as central government,” he said.
Referring to inquiry ordered into the killing of innocent civilians in Gool Ramban, the MLA Kulgam said, “Probes have been announced in past also but nothing concrete ever came to forefront. What happen to the probes in the past? Was there any action? Nobody knows what happen, may it be Pathribal, Machil fake encounter, Sumbal or 2010 killings of innocent youths.”
He said that a central delegation headed by Union Home Minister visited the Valley in the aftermath of 2010 killings and assured action and punishment to those behind the innocent killings. “Even Chief Minister assured both outside and inside the state assembly that the guilty will be identified and punished according to law. Who has been punished, everybody is acquitted about it,” he said, adding, “Not a single person in my knowledge has been handed down any punishment and had it been the case, repeated violation of human rights would not have occurred time and again.” He said there would have been some deterrence to security personnel and people would also feel confident that guilty will be punished.
He said both state as well as central government only grieves over such incidents in a bid to consume time.
“They forget all their promises with the passage of time. Finally they retract from all the promises and treat the incident as if nothing had happened. How long will this practice go on?” he said, adding, “I urge both state and the central government that their failure to see the writing on wall will have serious consequences especially for security and safety of the state as well as entire country.”
Tarigami said that his biggest fear was that people were fast losing faith on all the institution, may it be assembly or investigative agencies. “They all are losing credibility.”
“It is time for central government to introspect and seriously mull over the fact that had there been deterrence by bring guilty to book, a policeman, a paramilitary force or any other armed personnel would have thought twice before opening fire on unarmed protesters,” he said, adding, “Guilty has to be punished. How long will they keep shielding them? People have every right to protest incidents like the one which happened in Gool. They can sometimes hurl stones to vent their anger but it does not mean you reciprocate with force.”
Tarigami said that violence was not in the interest of government as well as common masses. He said that central government must initiate political recourse in Kashmir and should stop relying on “security structure.”
“Kashmir issue has to be resolved politically and as such there is need for steps which are based on sincerity. We have seen many commission or interlocutors in the pasts but nothing concrete come to fore,” he said, adding, “Government of India must not shy away from calling Kashmir a political issue. The centre must engage in constructive dialogue with government of Pakistan and bring the derailed peace process back on track.”
He also condemned use of force by police and paramilitary forces on people in Kulgam district overnight.
Meanwhile, Tarigami left for New Delhi on Sunday where he is scheduled to meet Shinde and Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami. Sources said he will hold discussion them about the prevailing situation in J&K.
