THE CPI(M) has been staunchly defending the people’s rights in Kashmir Valley -- combating the designs of secessionist elements and fighting the police and military excesses. Though a small political player in Jammu and Kashmir, with just one MLA, the party has suffered immensely at the hand of terrorists. Nearly 50 comrades have lost their lives, but not one from the BJP, the party that sings the rhetoric of nationalism. The makeshift office-cum-residence in Kulgam houses over half-a-dozen families owing allegiance to the party who have received severe threat to their lives from various terrorist outfits. Some of them share their tales of having been shot at, lost limb, survived and now work from this urban centre in Kulgam. Abdul Hamid Wani, Nazir Ahmad and Master Gulam Moiudeen are a few amongst them who have heroic tales to narrate.

The CPI(M), in such a difficult and hostile environment, keeps the red flag aloft raising voices on issues ranging from various democratic demands and the excesses committed on the people at the behest of police and other central security agencies to combating the terrorists both ideologically and openly.

On August 21, just two days before Eid, a political demonstration was held in the town in which over 300 people participated. This was against the nefarious designs of the BJP government which tacitly through a petition in the Supreme court is trying to scrap Article 35A of the Constitution of India. This section has a great relevance for the identity and culture of Kashmiri people. In Himachal Pradesh too, there is a similar section for the protection of native people’s rights with respect to their identity and land.

On the same evening, calls started coming to the party leadership about nine young boys being detained initially by the army and later in the evening by the notorious special operations group of the police -- though technically this has been disbanded, it still works actively. All the young boys belonged to a village, called ‘Okey’. This happens to be a normal exercise done at the behest of the security agencies, which happens to be a big harassment to the natives. Those detained, including few minors, were mainly part-time workers and daily wage earners.

The fate of all of them would have been at least a few days in the police lock-up without even producing them in the court because of draconian provisions of law existing in the valley. However, Mohd Amin, leader of the party, went to the police camp and resisted their detention. He even threatened not to move out till the boys were released. Such interrogation is quite common in the valley and where the presence of democratic voices both collective and individual is weak, there such acts of the police also leads to unlawful detention and eventually leading to bribing of the officials for such release. This is quite common and widespread. But in Kulgam because of the intervention of the CPI(M), such unlawful detentions are very less. Finally, all were released at 11 pm.

BJP-PDP Alliance, a Recipe for Disaster

One of the common features of discussion in and around the valley is that to ensure normalcy to return, the PDP-BJP alliance government must go. If this continues, the already burgeoning alienation of the people from the mainstream will further aggravate. Why? The common feeling is that since the people in the valley have predominantly voted against the BJP, the PDP’s alliance with it has belied the voice of the people. The BJP’s politics and culture of hatred further aggravates the dissensions and escalates tension. The BJP is seen here as anti-Kashmiriyat. Then the use of the state apparatus too is quite selective in choosing the targets. The entire Doval thesis of ‘not to do anything’ and let the valley burn is more problematic. There is no process of dialogue either within the valley or with the neighbouring country. That is not even been discussed by the power centre. Hence, there is hardly any ray of hope emerging to tackle the issue and make sincere efforts to restore normalcy.

On the day of Eid, party workers staying at the Kulgam office celebrated the festival there as they could not return to their homes.

A stark difference between development work in Kulgam district headquarter and other places was visible. The proactive intervention of CPI(M) MLA Mohd Yusuf Tarigami and the party has made this possible. A 200-bedded hospital, large degree college, ITI, good roads -- all boast of Kulgam’s infrastructure development.