The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the refusal of the Jammu & Kashmir administration to permit an eleven-member delegation representing eight political parties – the Congress, CPI(M), CPI, DMK, NCP, JD(S), RJD and the TMC from visiting the state. The joint delegation of these parties had gone to Srinagar this morning to make an assessment of the prevailing situation against the political lockdown in the state of Jammu & Kashmir in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.
The delegation had planned to visit various parts of the state over the next few days, talking to various people and sections of the populace and shades of political opinion to ascertain the situation existing on the ground and the difficulties that they are encountering as a result of the shutdown in the Kashmir valley for days together.
The denial of entry to well-known leaders of recognized political parties is an outright attack on the rights of political parties to meet and address their constituents. The misbehavior of police with media at Srinagar airport is a blatant attempt at suppression of freedom of the press. If “normalcy” exists in the valley as claimed by the government, why is it stopping representatives of political parties from meeting the people? People throughout the country are watching this blatant trampling upon of the democratic rights of people and their representatives by a party which seeks to impose a totalitarian regime.
The delegation amongst others also included the CPI(M) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury.
(Hari Singh Kang)
For CPI(M) Central Committee Office