Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami Tuesday said that there is a general feeling among people in Jammu and Kashmir that with the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the families of the victims of Pathribal and Machil will get justice. He castigated Government of India for not understanding the sentiments of people of Kashmir. “It is very strange that Government feels that those security personnel allegedly involved in the killing of innocent people will get demoralized in case they are booked and taken to task. What a strategy is this? I ask the government what about people. Are they not getting demoralized? You (Government) care for security personnel but not about the people,” Tarigami said while speaking in favour of the Adjournment Motion brought by People’s Democratic Party seeking amnesty and withdrawal of cases against youth allegedly arrested on charges of stone-pelting. CPI (M) State Secretary according to CNS said that youth in Kashmir are facing a tough time as State Government has failed to guide them. “It is a million dollar question, what we are offering to our youth. They are on cross-fire, facing all types of hardships. It concerns us all that they are languishing in jails,” he said adding that the families of 2010 victims still ask us why their sons were killed and what was their fault.He lamented that State Government failed to provide the details to House about the youth languishing in jails under Public Safety Act and preventive detention. “I had sought particulars of persons lodged in different jails but the answer I got was really wonderful and it surprised me. The State Government in its reply informed that keeping in view the security of those prisoners and their families it may not be advisable to disclose the details of each convict, under-trial and detenue. What a wonderful answer? These youth are not underground but are in jails so what sort of security concern government has,” Tarigami questioned adding that people taken into custody under preventive detention are getting old in jails.
He made it clear that his motive behind raising the query about the details of the arrested youth was not to score points but only to highlight the plight of youth and show how Public Safety Act has been misused.Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami according to CNS said that India is a lawful country where everything is governed by law. “But in Kashmir lawlessness should not be encouraged and it should not work here,” he said adding that there is deep alienation among youth and it is high time we all address the problems of youth.Taking a dig on the Government, Tarigami said that if it is convinced that security situation in Kashmir has improved then why doesn’t it withdraw AFSPA? He appealed all political parties to shun communal politics and play their part in maintaining the integrity and persity of Jammu and Kashmir.All the three regions of the state are inter-dependent and it should be our resolve to maintain the integrity and unity of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir,” he said. (CNS)