CPI calls for President's intervention in J&K

Describing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as "alarming", the CPI today demanded President Pranab Mukherjee's intervention to restore peace in the troubled state.
"The President must intervene before the situation in Jammu and Kashmir slips out of control," CPI national secretary Atul Kumar Anjan told reporters here.
Blaming the BJP-PDP government in the state for the prevailing "alarming" situation, he said the President can exercise his power guaranteed by the Constitution to bring it under control.
Accusing the BJP of misleading the people on Kashmir, Anjan said the Valley remained under curfew for a longer period of time last year. He said it is necessary to win the confidence of the people in the state, which has been hit by a series of fresh clashes and killings.

The CPI leader said the lowest-ever 7 per cent voter turn out in the April 12 by-election to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency only indicated growing alienation of the people of the state.
The boycott of the election by a large number of voters only reflected the anger and frustration of the people, he said.

While the Centre and the state government are trying to handle the Kashmir situation as a mere law and order problem, the reality is much worse, Anjan said, adding "the country's borders have become unsafe and the state government is adopting double standards".
He also noted that universities, colleges and higher secondary schools remained closed in Kashmir today in view of widespread student protests in the Valley.

Stressing on the need for a dialogue with all stakeholders to restore peace in Kashmir, Anjan said the Centre and the state government had lost the confidence of the people in the state.
Nothing can restore confidence except an "honest" action for implementation of the Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the political scenario, the CPI leader strongly favoured an alliance of "secular and democratic" parties at the national level to halt the BJP surge in future polls and present a viable alterative.
Anjan said all political parties, including Congress, JD-U, Left parties, Janata Dal and RJD, should consider working seriously to form a combination of "like-minded" parties to take on the BJP.

Referring to BJP's Natinoal Executive meeting held in Bhubaneswar recently, he said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi ridiculed Odisha with his poverty jibe during Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll campaign, the saffron party indulged in "vulgar display" of money power by spending crores of rupees in organising the extravaganza.
He blamed the recent violence in Bhadrak in the state on the BJP's "divisive politics".