Mohd Abass Rather
THE 13th State Conference of the Jammu and Kashmir committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was held in Jammu on February 17-18. The whole of the Jammu city was decorated with red flags.
Inaugurating the open session of the conference, Prakash Karat, CPI(M) Central Committee coordinator and Polit Bureau member, vehemently criticised the Modi-led government for dismantling the historic state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir (JKUT) and Ladakh – on August 5, 2019. He termed this move unconstitutional, stating that it amounted to a betrayal of the assurances given by the then national leadership in 1947 regarding the protection of the aspirations and identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. "Abolishing one state on August 5, 2019, among the existing 28 states, was a direct assault on the Constitution and the federal structure of the country," he asserted.
The CPI(M) strongly opposed this decision and organised nationwide protests to express solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Karat emphasized that it is the collective responsibility of secular and democratic forces in the country to support and fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He also criticised the Hindutva forces led by the communal and divisive RSS-BJP combine for relentlessly attacking the secular ethos of the country, which is detrimental to the larger national interest.
Karat also opposed the Modi government's actions in curtailing normal and legitimate funding to non-BJP state governments, such as those in Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, which adversely affects developmental activities in these states.
Ashok Dhawale, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, strongly opposed the anti-people and anti-working-class policies of the government, which are designed to benefit its corporate allies to the fullest. He praised the relentless struggle of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha against the farm laws introduced by the Modi-led government, which, after a continuous struggle of one year and 15 days, forced the government to repeal the laws. He emphasized that trade unions, working-class, and the youth of the country must unite on a common platform to oppose the pro-corporate policies adopted by this government, which favour a few families at the expense of millions of working people.
MY Tarigami, CPI(M) senior leader and member of the J&K Legislative Assembly, condemned the blatant and brazen assault on the constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through the arrogant abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A in August 2019. He stated that the same arrogant dispensation further bifurcated the historic state, formed by the Dogra rulers, amounting to a sheer humiliation of the people's aspirations. He highlighted that it was Maharaja Hari Singh who, through notifications in 1927 and 1932, banned outsiders from purchasing land or applying for jobs in Jammu and Kashmir. These protections were later enshrined in the Indian Constitution as Article 35-A, which the BJP government dismantled.
Tarigami noted that the legacy of the national freedom movement and its leadership shaped the future of the country based on democratic, secular, and federal principles, as reflected in the Constitution of India. The protection of the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir was embedded in Article 370, and its abrogation has deeply disheartened the people. He emphasized that the alarming rate of unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir needs to be addressed on a war footing. He also called for the release of political prisoners and media persons, as well as the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants in the valley. Tarigami appealed to the secular and democratic forces of the country to unite in the fight for the restoration of constitutional rights and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Gh. Nabi Malik, CPI(M) state secretary also addressed the open session.
A four-member presidium, with Ramesh Kumar Bhat as convenor, conducted the proceedings of the delegate session, which began at 4 pm. Om Prakash, state committee member, hoisted the Party flag amid revolutionary slogans. A condolence resolution in memory of Comrade Sitaram Yechury and other Party leaders and activists who passed away during this period was placed by Ramesh Kumar Bhat. Highlighting the significant contributions of Sitaram Yechury in strengthening the Party as well as the Left, democratic, and secular forces, Bhat stated that Yechury's legacy would continue to inspire generations to come.
Mohd Abass Rather, state committee member, presented the political-organisational report on behalf of Party state secretary Gh. Nabi Malik, who was unwell. The report addressed the prevailing international situation, particularly the genocide of Palestinians, which has claimed the lives of over 50,000 people. It held US imperialism and the Zionist-Israeli regime responsible for these heinous crimes. The report also condemned the Modi government for not only failing to condemn the massacre of innocent Palestinians but also for supporting and supplying arms to the notorious Netanyahu regime.
While discussing the national situation, the report strongly opposed the BJP government for pursuing its Hindutva-corporate agenda, which benefits a handful of corporates at the expense of millions of people. It criticised the government for exacerbating the suffering of the masses and targeting minorities, especially Muslims, under various pretexts. The report highlighted the unprecedented rise in food prices and alarming levels of unemployment, which have created a sense of hopelessness among large sections of the population.
Focusing on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the report criticised the assault on the constitutional rights of the people. The abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A on August 5, 2019, without consulting stakeholders, has created a significant void and deepened uncertainties among large sections of the population. The dismantling of the historic state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories is unprecedented in India's constitutional history and is widely perceived as an act of humiliation against the people. Harsh measures were taken against political leaders and others who opposed these unconstitutional actions. Stringent and often oppressive security measures have been imposed, with hundreds of people, including members of the media, booked under draconian laws like UAPA and PSA and lodged in jails both within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
The people are being deprived of passports and employment on various pretexts. The land laws enacted after radical land reforms, which were unique in the country, were abolished. State subject laws were scrapped and replaced by domicile certificates, which are even issued to non-residents, allowing them to purchase land. This has severely impacted the interests and concerns of the local population.
Despite tall claims, unemployment among educated youth has reached an all-time high in the region. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in November 2024, the current unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir is 11.8 per cent, nearly double the national rate of 6.4 per cent. Since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, unemployment, inflation, and economic decline in Jammu and Kashmir have only worsened. And, various taxes, such as property tax and toll tax, have been imposed or increased.
The menace of drug addiction has assumed dangerous proportions, posing a severe threat to the future of the youth.
During the session, 23 delegates participated in the discussion on the report, which was later adopted unanimously. Resolutions were adopted on several issues, including the restoration of statehood, opposition to the assault on democratic rights and civil liberties, protection of trade union rights, reversal of the scrapping of land laws enacted during historic land reforms (which were the first of their kind in the country), addressing alarming unemployment rates and providing unemployment allowances, combating the drug addiction crisis, opposing the National Education Policy, rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants, and addressing issues related to agriculture and horticulture.
The conference saw the participation of 251 delegates from across Jammu and Kashmir. The two-day conference concluded on February 18, 2025 with the election of a 22-member state committee, with Mohd Abass Rather as secretary. Four delegates and two observers were also elected to attend the 24th Party Congress, to be held in Madurai.
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