SRINAGAR: Communist Party of India Marxist (CPIM) General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury Monday said if people of the country want better life, the BJP government in centre has to go and asserted that Kashmir is a political problems and till talks are not held with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir and with Pakistan, the issue cannot be resolved.
“If people of country want better life, the BJP government has to go. The BJP is communally polarizing the country for electoral benefits. They are raising private armies in the states ruled by them in the name of ‘Gau Rakhshaks’ and ‘anti-Romeo squads.’ They kill Muslims and Dalits in the name of ‘Gua Raksha’ and ‘Love Jihad’. And the killers are being projected like heroes,” Yechury said while addressing a press conference on sidelines of 2-day long 11th state conference of CPIM, here today.
He alleged that these private armies decide what is right and what is wrong.
“The Constitution of India clearly states that any adult can marry of his own choice. But now RSS-BJP and Modi sarkar decide the choice of one’s eating habits, dress code and with whom one has to marry and make friendship. It is fascist mindset,” he said.
Yechury said societal unity in India is under threat and secular fabric of India was being torn by the rightwing parties for their political and electoral gains.
He alleged that Mamta Banerjee and BJP are playing minority and majority cards for political benefits.
Referring to Kashmir, Yechury said Kashmir is a political issue and not a law and order problem.
“Kashmir is crown of India and to safeguard it is the duty of every Indian. If crown has any problem, then it is the problem of the whole country. We have been saying it within and outside the parliament,” he said.
The CPI (M) general secretary said since Modi government took over, Kashmir is being tackled through military means only.
“I came here twice as a member of Parliamentary delegation. First time it was when UPA-II was in power but recommendations of interlocutors were never implemented. Second time, Home Minister Rajnath Singh led a parliamentary delegation to Kashmir in 2016. When we returned to Delhi, it was discussed that the solution of Kashmir can be achieved through political process and not only through law and order. But not a single forward step was taken,” he said.
Yechury said ban on pellet guns was raised in the Parliament and Home Minister made a statement but later he retracted.
He said till talks are not held with all the stakeholders in the state and with Pakistan, the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved.
He said while innocents were being killed in the state, the government of India is not clear about their plans on holding talks with Pakistan.
“When Modi became PM, we heard that India and Pakistan are talking but then they stopped talking and then we again heard that NSAs are talking in some third country. The GoI needs tell us the reality,” he said.
He said CPI (M) believes that withdrawing AFSPA has to start for confidence-building measure.
“The eroded provisions of Article 370, which grant special status to the State have to be restored and then only Kashmir will be real ‘atoot aang’ of India,” Yechury said adding, “Raking up issues like legal scrutiny of Article 35-A will only escalate problems in J&K”.