General secretary CPI (M) Sitaram Yechaury Monday said that treating Kashmir merely as a law and order problem was not a solution.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that reports of five study groups and recommendations made by former interlocutors were lying with the government of India which must be implemented to initiate confidence building measures.
Yechaury has been twice part of Parliamentary delegations to Kashmir.
He said that since the Modi-led government assumed office in New Delhi, Kashmir was being tackled through military means only.
Asked how he saw the role of NIA in Kashmir, he said: “Merely treating this (Kashmir) as a law and order problem is not a solution. It has to be a political solution based on political dialogue with all stakeholders.”
“During the visit of all party delegation led by home minister Rajnath Singh, we urged the government to stop use of pellet guns and open dialogue with all stakeholders,” he said.
He added that government had agreed to work on these two things immediately. “Two years have passed but the government is yet to implement these assurances,” he said.
“In the Parliament also we demanded ban on pellet guns and home minister made a statement, but later he retracted. NSAs of India and Pakistan are meeting in third country, but in Parliament the government says it can’t hold dialogue with Pakistan.”
“Kashmir is a political problem and till talks aren’t held with all stakeholders in the state and with Pakistan, this issue can’t be resolved. CPI (M) believes that withdrawing of AFSPA has to start for confidence building. The eroded provisions of Article 370 have to be restored and then only Kashmir will be real ‘atoot ang’ of India. This BJP government is making assault on Constitution,” he said.
He said that Kashmir is crown of India and to safeguard it is the duty of every Indian.
“If crown has any problem, it is the problem of the whole country. We have been saying it within and outside the Parliament. The PDP-BJP government in J&K is the biggest contradiction. Ever since Modi government took over, Kashmir is being tackled through military means only,” he said.
He added that sending Article 35A for legal interpretation makes the issue more complicated. “It should not be done.”
Restore Autonomy, withdraw AFSPA: Sitaram Yechaury suggests to GoI
