THE J&K State Committee of CPI(M) reiterated its stand that Article 370 cannot be abrogated, as this is the only link between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India. The state secretary of the Party, M Y Tarigami alongwith Sham Prasad Kesar and MYG Nairang, senior leaders of the Party addressed a news conference in Jammu on March 12. They referred to the statement of the union minister of state, home in which the minister informed the Rajya Sabha on March 11 that the present government is not considering the abrogation of the article, because it has not the required numbers in the parliament. The leaders asserted that even if the government has 2/3rd majority in the parliament it cannot abrogate the article 370 as for that, recommendation of the constituent assembly of J&K is mandatory and the constituent assembly has ceased to exist after 1956. In fact, article 370 which has been reduced to husk, needs to be restored to its original position, they maintained. Replying to a question they explained that article 370 in no way, undermines the unity of the country and is in the best interest of the entire state of J&K. It was included in the constitution of India after prolonged negotiations between the then established leadership of the state and the rest of the country. The leaders expressed their dismay over too much hype given to the release of Masrat Alam and said that an individual’s release should not create an impression that it will jeopardise the security system of the entire country. Instead of focusing on such an unimportant issue, the government should rather try to deliver on ground and mitigate the sufferings of the people, who are in a miserable condition, due to devastating floods, untimely heavy rains and snow blizzards in Kashmir and several areas of Jammu. Replying to another question, they made it clear that India has a vibrant judicial system and if the government fails to prove charges against people arrested under PSA and such other draconian laws , then the people languishing in jails have the right to be free. CPI(M) has been consistently demanding the immediate release of all those who are not involved in heinous crimes, the leaders affirmed. The government of India along with the government of J&K must initiate, comprehensive dialogue with all the stake holders for resolving the Kashmir issue, keeping in view its historical context and the democratic aspiration of the people of all the regions. The present coalition government of the state, without wasting time and without seeking to cultivate the respective constituencies for electoral gains, must address the immediate and acute issues related to the livelihood of the common man. Instead of polarisation, it should rather initiate serious efforts for reconciliation and unity of the people.