Srinagar, July 12 (IANS) The State Committee of the Communist Party of India-Marxist has lent support to the National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah’s decision to organise a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on the opening day of the Monsoon session of Parliament in demand of restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Md. Abass Rather, State Secretary of the CPI-M, has appealed to all political parties, organisations and individuals to set aside their differences and join the protest.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated Article 370 and Article 35-A and bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories. One of these was Jammu and Kashmir and the other Ladakh.

Rather has called this an attack, not only on one party or one region alone, but on every community, caste and creed in the region.

The decision was taken without discussions with stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, the CPI-M leader has said.

While the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35-A did pass legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible.

“Repeated assurances were given from time to time for restoration of statehood but the same remains unfulfilled so far. Instead of fulfilling the assurances of restoration of statehood, the Union government has further amended the Transaction of Business Rules by issuing a notification on July 12, 2024, thereby empowering the Lieutenant Governor (Manoj Sinha) with an expanded executive authority over police, public order and postings and transfers of All India Services Officers,” Rather has said in a statement.

“The move aims at further eroding the authority of the elected government, thereby undermining the mandate of the people,” he added.

The protest is in the larger interest of the Constitutional order of the country, the CPI-M has said.

Any further delay in the granting of statehood is bound to further deepen the widespread discontentment and disillusionment of the people, it has added.

This protest by Abdullah is being considered the biggest effort by the NC to regain statehood.

The veteran NC leader has appealed to members of the INDIA bloc to participate in the protest.

Abdullah is said to have reached out to 52 leaders across the country, including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, DMK leader M.K. Stalin, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.

While the Centre has remained silent on the issue, sources have claimed that the Union Home Ministry does not believe that the situation is still conducive to grant full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

–IANS

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