J&K Govt Callous and Insensitive to people's grievances

Date: 
Tuesday, April 4, 2000

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) condemns the police firing in Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir which has led to the death of seven persons. For the past few days a protest movement has been going on in Anantnag about the killing of five persons who were alleged to be extremists involved in the Chattisinghpura massacre. The local people have contested the version of the authorities. It was a protest organised by the local people in this connection which has resulted in the indiscriminate police firing.

Instead of immediately addressing the complaint of the people about the encounter which led to the killing of five persons, the state administration has shown itself callous and insensitive to the people's grievances.

The security forces are operating in the Kashmir valley under difficult circumstances with the growing attacks of the extremist groups. However, the wanton use of force and excesses are further alienating the people. The Farooq Abdullah government is badly discredited by its failure to respond to the people's grievances.

It is essential that apart from the judicial enquiry into the police firing, a proper enquiry is conducted to ascertain the truth about the death of the five persons earlier.