By TCN News,
New Delhi: All India Left Coordination (AILC), a joint group of four Left parties, has demanded an end to killing of civilians in Kashmir and a political solution to the Kashmir issue. AILC made the demand yesterday while observing its National Day of Solidarity with Kashmiri people.
The National Day of Solidarity with Kashmiri People was observed yesterday at various places across the country. AILC was launched in Delhi by the four Left parties including CPI(ML) Liberation, the CPM Punjab, the Lal Nishan Party (Leninist) Maharashtra and the Left Coordination Committee Kerala.
Part of the daylong national program, a solidarity dharna was organised at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital which was attended by a large number of students, workers, activists and democratic individuals. They expressed solidarity with the democratic aspirations of Kashmiri people who are resisting brutal repression by security forces.
The protesters at the Dharna demanded peace, dignity and democracy for the people of Kashmir, scrapping of AFSPA, lifting of the military shadow from civilian life in Kashmir, credible investigation and justice in cases of human rights violations, and a credible political solution to the long-standing issue of Kashmir. A memorandum was also sent to the President of India with these demands.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of CPI(ML) while addressing the dharna asked “anywhere in the country, the killing of a child would spark off angry protests; when Kashmiri people do so, why are they branded as terrorists and anti-national miscreants and met with further firing and repression?”
The attempt to deny the legitimacy or authenticity of the Kashmiris’ outrage and protests, and the stubborn continuation of a policy of repression of mass demonstrations, are only rubbing salt into the wounds of alienation and anger of Kashmiri masses. Draconian laws like Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act – AFSPA – are providing impunity to security forces who commit crimes like fake encounters and killing of civilians and yet get away scot-free, Bhattacharya said.
Referring to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement of economic packages, Bhattacharya said: “In Kashmir economic packages cannot assuage the sense of alienation, and are no substitute for justice. PM Manmohan Singh, rather than politicking on the question of autonomy by imposing consensus as a ‘conditionality,’ should come up with a credible political proposal of maximum autonomy – and initiate dialogue with all concerned sections including, above all, the people of Kashmir.”
The Solidarity Dharna was also attended and addressed by CPI(ML) Central committee members Kavita Krishnan, Prabhat Kumar, Delhi State Secretary Sanjay Sharma, AICCTU leader Rajiv Dimri, JNU Student leader Sucheta De, AICCTU leaders Satvir Shramik and NM Thomas, film maker Sanjay Kak and others.