Srinagar: The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of regional political parties, on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in New Delhi had left the people of Jammu and Kashmir high and dry by choking breathing spaces.

“After taking away the constitutional right of Article 370, other means of survival are also being choked gradually. There is no civil liberty, freedom of press or freedom of speech that are under assault while police stations and jails are being filled with innocent people,” PAGD spokesperson M Y Tarigami told reporters in Srinagar.

The members of the PAGD, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Muzaffar Shah of the Awami National Conference (ANC) and other National Conference leaders, met at the Gupkar residence of Dr Farooq Abdullah following which the grouping, formed to advocate the restoration of pre-August status of J&K, lashed out at the BJP for pushing the region into ‘deterioration’. 

Tarigami said that the alliance leaders discussed the present political scenario following which it expressed concern over what they termed as “fast deteriorating situation in Kashmir as well Jammu.” The PAGD spokesperson also called for the unity amongst the people to put a united stand against the incursions being carried out by BJP and also urged people and the political parties to raise a collective voice against the “present onslaught of New Delhi on people here. He also argued that “silence of intelligentsia” across the country was damaging not only for J&K but for the whole country.

Tarigami, a CPI(M) leader, also added that many in the Valley were being jailed by the authorities which has caused concerns amongst their parents often seen waiting outside police stations. “So many people are being arrested that the jails have no capacity anymore. Outside jails have now no capacity given the number of people being jailed from Kashmir,” he alleged.

“These ministers are coming to ensure suppression is tightened further and whosoever raises a voice is put behind bars,” he said.

PAGD president and NC leader Farooq Abdullah also lashed out at BJP for not fulfilling its promise of providing jobs to the youth. “Where are those 50,000 jobs that were promised. The situation is grim as the number of unemployed youth is rising,” he said.

Saturday’s meeting comes in the midst of concerns about the ongoing revision of electoral rolls as authorities made way for non-locals to register as voters, something that the parties have opposed. The regional parties, including from the PAGD, on October 8 formed a 14-member joint committee against the move.

The parties expressed their wariness about the move terming it as “manipulation” in the electoral process that the PAGD reiterated in today’s brief. “In the name of the electoral revision, there is manipulation going on. One day the administrative official Jammu issues an order and the next day this order is cancelled verbally. It is a kind of Jungle Raj going on here,” Tarigami added.

The PAGD’s concerns over diminishing liberties come at a time when the Lt. Governor-led administration sacked five employees under Article 311 of the Constitution of India for their alleged involvement in “anti-national” activities. This is the third such dismissal of government employees since March this year in which a group of individuals were sacked for their alleged links to militancy, a charge that most of them have denied.

The sacked employees are Tanveer Saleem Dar, a constable in Auxiliary Wing of J&K Police, Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, a Village Level Worker in the Rural Development Department (Panchayat Secretary), Irshad Ahmad Khan, Orderly cum Chowkidar in Jal Shakti Department, Baramulla and Afaq Ahmad Wani, Manager, Baramulla Central Cooperative Bank Ltd. and Abdul Momin Peer, Assistant lineman, PHE Sub Division Handawra. 

Since last year, more than 40 employees have been sacked under the same provision. This comes a day after 36 policemen were forced to retire prematurely for allegedly being involved in “corruption, criminal and anti-national activities.”

Courtesy: Newsclick

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The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) met on Thursday and demanded a time-bound judiciary inquiry into Hyderpora killings.  The PAGD has also asked handover the bodies to the families of the slain civilians as it their “constitutional right and not a favour .” 

The J&K Police claimed that those killed included two militants, along with an OGW and the owner of the commercial building where the encounter took place. However the families of the civilians killed have said the two men had nothing to do with any terror activists and have demanded that their bodies be handed over. However the two were buried in Handwara in northern Kashmir. For the last two years, police in Kashmir do not hand over the bodies of militants killed in encounters to the family for last rites citing their funerals create a law and order situation.  The building owner Altaf Ahmed Bhat’s family have also alleged that he was used as a human shield and had no links with any militant group, and have demanded justice for him.  The other civilian is Dr Mudassir Gul, who was living on rent in the building, and according to police “had provided shelter to Haider and his associate” and so, “he was harbouring militants. Mudasir’ family has denied the charges and demanded justice.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Hyderpora encounter on Thursday and the LG’s office announced it on the official Twitter handle, “A magisterial inquiry by officer of ADM rank has been ordered in the Hyderpora encounter. Government will take suitable action as soon as report is submitted in a time-bound manner. J-K admin reiterates commitment of protecting lives of innocent civilians and it will ensure there is no injustice.”

A magisterial inquiry by officer of ADM rank has been ordered in Hyderpora encounter.Govt will take suitable action as soon as report is submitted in a time-bound manner.JK admin reiterates commitment of protecting lives of innocent civilians&it will ensure there is no injustice.

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) November 18, 2021

However the PAGD leaders spoke to the media after their meeting at the residence of chairman and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and the Alliance’s spokesperson Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said the magisterial inquiry ordered into the “destructive incident” was unacceptable as it was akin to being “judge, jury and executioner.” Tarigami, who is leader of CPI (M) told the media that the PAGD met and discussed the “grave tragedy which innocent people faced at Hyderpora. We have assembled to take stock of the unfortunate situation. Mehboobaji (PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti) could not come because she was placed under house arrest which is unfortunate and condemnable”, reported Greater Kashmir.

Tarigami said that the leaders have demanded “there should be a halt on such destructive incidents. This is not only our concern but every citizen. Local citizens cannot feel secure in such a situation and there is continuous breach of law by law enforcers which is unacceptable. We can have difference of opinion on political front but whatever is happening and in particular this grave tragedy, it remains the important issue for all of us.”

The PAGD has demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry, so the families of those killed “get justice.” Tarigami said, “We want to ask question to government of India. Is killing innocent civilians necessary for national security”. Have we come to such a pass? This is our question.” He added that PAGD “reject magisterial inquiry ordered. It is same administration which killed and it cannot act as judge, jury and executioner. This is not acceptable. We demand a credible inquiry and to our belief it could only be judicial inquiry. Those who are responsible should be brought to book.

We demand judicial probe into the civilian killings of Hyderpora and urge the administration to immediately handover their bodies to respective families for last rites. pic.twitter.com/zgjl88uKR0

— M Y Tarigami (@tarigami) November 16, 2021

He added that if this demand is not met then “our parliamentarians such as Farooq sahib, Masoodi sahib, Mohammad Akhbar Lone will meet the President.” The leaders have also demanded that the “bodies should be handed over to kin without delay. There should be no time-table. I want to tell the government to stop, stop this. This is a historical fact that when the glass is filled to capacity, water overflows and the same is the case with patience. Don’t construe patience as silence. You are not gauging things in the right perspective. Irrespective of differences on the political front, we are together and won’t allow Kashmir to turn into a graveyard. This is our belief and this is our appeal to the government to listen to this voice.”

The PAGD spokesperson added that the “Constitution teaches us that those responsible must be brought to book.” He added that  families of those killed in such encounters are denied the right to conduct dignified burial which is a “Constitutional right and not any favour. If this thing is not done on one or the other pretext such as covid or law & order, this is not acceptable to us.” Tarigami said according to media reports, adding that the leaders were also  not allowed to meet the families of those killed and offer condolences to them, “when Dr Sahib (Farooq Abdullah) contacted the security establishment, he was told that there is no permission.”

LG @manojsinha_ should reach out to these families, hear them in person & then give them the bodies of their loved ones. It’s the only right thing to do, it’s the only humane thing to do.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 18, 2021

Bhat, and Gul’s families had been on a sit-in protest since the killings, demanding return of the bodies. They  were buried in Handwara, more than 70 kilometres from Srinagar, stated news reports. The families were reported to have been forcibly evicted from the protest site.

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