Three senior political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday asked the Union Government not to take any decision that would precipitate the crisis in the valley and appealed to all democratic forces in and outside Parliament to raise their voice against any move to scrap special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Their statement came as the Centre deployed additional forces and asked pilgrims and tourists to leave the area which have resulted in panic and confusion in the Kashmir valley. The government move has also led to speculation that it may scrap the special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir.
In a joint statement here on Sunday afternoon, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Democratic Party Nationalist chief Ghulam Hassan Mir and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) chief Hakeem Mohammad Yasin said the Union Government must not take any decision that would precipitate the crisis in J&K and it should ensure the constitutional guarantees given to the state are maintained. The Centre must desist from making any ‘political adventurism’ which will have grave consequences not only for Kashmir but for the whole country.
The government’s decision to deploy additional forces in Kashmir and security advisory issued asking tourists, yatris and outside state students to leave Kashmir immediately, has triggered panic and confusion among people in the Valley, they said.
They said panic escalated since Kashmir was already tense for the past few days after the Centre ordered the deployment of 100 companies of additional troops in the Valley. Massive build-up of security forces, curtailment of the Amarnath Yatra and unprecedented advisories issued to the tourists, yatris and other civilians, all created an atmosphere of heightened insecurity and fear and gave rise to the speculations about some major decision in the offing regarding the J&K’s special status.
‘Even during the peak of militancy, Amarnath yatra was never cancelled, tourists were never driven out and panic was never allowed unchecked on the streets of the Valley. Why were more forces rushed to Kashmir when the government was claiming that the situation on the ground has improved since last year? ‘ they asked.
Although Parliament is in session, the Central government has given no statement whatsoever for these measures. Nor have political parties in the state been taken into confidence. This has fuelled apprehensions among the people that some drastic measures affecting the Constitutional status of J&K are being contemplated with reference to Article 35A and Article 370.
They said the Union Government must not take any decision that would precipitate the crisis in J&K and it should ensure the constitutional guarantees given to the state are maintained. The Centre must desist from making any ‘political adventurism’ which will have grave consequences not only for Kashmir but for the whole country.
(UNI)
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