New Delhi: Left parties on Tuesday sought the
setting up of a parliamentary or a political committee to
initiate dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and
Kashmir and a review of the overall security approach there.
"As for the appointment of interlocutors for initiating a
dialogue with all sections in the state, it will be better if
there is a parliamentary or political committee to conduct
talks. Only a political committee can seriously conduct the
exercise of initiating dialogue," CPI(M) General Secretary
Prakash Karat told reporters here.
The past experience of interlocutors "has not been very
fruitful" and, therefore, a political committee should be
appointed to act as the interlocutor, he said.
Karat termed the Centre`s 8-point initiative "a step in
the right direction" but said it was "inadequate" as the plan
"does not adequately reflect" the change in the security
scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.
Noting that instances of armed insurgency has been
"tapering off" and the levels of violence reduced drastically,
he said the party`s Politburo, which met here for two days,
had reiterated that it was "necessary to change the overall
security strategy and the manner in which civil protests are
being tackled".
While the Armed Forces Special Powers Act should be
selectively withdrawn from some cities, the number of troops
and security bunkers should be scaled down so that people can
lead normal lives, he said, adding that these were the root
causes of unrest in the state.
The state government should expedite the release of all
those arrested during the four months of protests, pay
compensation to the families of those killed in police firing
and implement a rehabilitation package for displaced Kashmiri
Pandits, Karat said.
In a statement, the CPI National Executive asked the
Centre to establish a mechanism involving representatives of
political parties to monitor the time-bound implementation of
the eight-point programme and continue the dialogue.
The party said there were "serious charges levelled by
many people in the state that proposals and packages etc for J
and K announced in the past were not at all implemented. There
was no sincerity on part of the Union government". It sought
urgent steps for early implementation of the proposals.
It favoured a "relook" at the AFSPA at the earliest and
its withdrawal from Srinagar and other places.
Terming the visit of the all party delegation as
"fruitful", the party said it was necessary to have a "broad
democratic common platform to express solidarity with Kashmir
and to discuss issues like human rights violation and autonomy
to the state".
PTI
