Asserting that "tough posturing" is the key word of the government's Kashmir policy, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami today said the Centre and state are desperately seeking "security solution" of a fundamentally political problem and is bound not to succeed. "The killing of unarmed civilians and indiscriminate lathicharge as experienced by NHM employees yesterday in Jammu has become order of the day. This is the Kashmir policy of this government, use force to crush people," he told the Assembly. "Tough is the key word in its Kashmir policy.
The governments, particularly, the central government is desperately seeking the security solution of a fundamentally political problem which is bound not to succeed," Tarigami said. The CPI(M) MLA said restricting movement of Hurriyat leaders will not help ease the situation. "This government, instead of considering revocation of AFSPA and withdrawing of PSA, has added more draconian laws like gag on employees in expressing views on government policy and JK Public Property (Prevention of damage) Ordinance 2017", he said. "The Chief Minister is talking about many things, but she has not so far expressed the required will to ban the use of pellets which created havoc and blinded many in the state", he added. Tarigami said, "We have been consistently demanding that the House should discuss this situation but we are not being permitted to do so. In my view, this is the result of the policy pursued by the BJP government at the Centre and the coalition government of the state". He alleged that governance in the state is virtually at the "lowest ebb" and institutions like legislature, district development boards and other forums are "gradually being made irrelevant. Tarigami said, "While Kashmir continues to reel under frozen temperatures and people in Jammu suffer during the summers because of non-availability of sufficient energy. But in our state over Rs 5,000 crore meant for upgradation of power infrastructure remains unutilised." He alleged that corruption was rampant at every level and nearly 11 lakh kanals of state, nazool, evacuee property land continue to remain under encroachment. Tarigami urged the Chief Minister to initiate the process of empowering women by tabling a bill for their reservation in the legislature.
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