Delhi Committee of CPI(ML) New Democracy organized a program at Jantar Mantar from 1130 onwards to demand that the blockade of Kashmir be lifted forthwith, curfew be lifted and firing and repression by armed forces in J&K on common people be stopped immediately. Condemning the communal conspiracies of rulers and ruling class parties against the people of Jammu and Kashmir the party demanded that ex-CM Azad, Mufti and ex-Governor Sinha be prosecuted.

Students, working class leaders, youth and several intellectuals took part in the protest. The protestors held posters displaying their demands.

Speakers condemned the rulers of J&K –the trimuverate of Azad, Mufti and Sinha- for blatantly and insensitively creating a situation where the people of Kashmir feel threatened over their right to their own land. As it is, the ruling classes of India have trampled underfoot the democratic aspirations of the people of Kashmir and subjected them to severe repression and blatant violations of democratic rights. Now, after literally forcing the Kashmiri people to take to the streets to defend their rights to their land, the ruling class parties have pitted the people of Jammu against them in a bid to fan communal divisions among the people. People in all parts of the state are bearing the brunt of armed forces repression, especially the people of the Kashmir Valley.

The issue, which has baselessly been projected at being at stake, is the Amarnath Yatra which has been on for over a century, with arrangements being made by the Government of Kashmir and local Kashmiri Muslims aiding the pilgrims. People of the entire country know this to be the fact which is why it makes no sense for any organisation in Jammu to  say they are fighting for the rights of Hindu pilgrims-it is crystal clear that leaders of Congress and BJP are fanning and leading the so called reaction in Jammu.

To add fuel to the fire, the government of India is busy denying the fact of economic blockade of Kashmir, even as it’s Defence Minister offers assurances that fruits will be purchased and consumed by ‘school children and CRPF’! – where is there need of such steps if no blockade exists? In fact, an all out attempt is on by the government to alienate and isolate the people of the Valley, further curb their democratic space and communalize the entire situation-in which it is being ably assisted by the BJP.

Com. Aparna (Delhi Party Secretary), Dr. Mrigank (Pres. Naujawan Bharat Sabha), Ms. Poonam Kaushik (Gen Secy. Pragatisheel Mahila Sanghatan), Dr.Animesh Das (President IFTU, Delhi) and known intellectuals like, Ish Mishra, Tapan Bose, Gautam Navlakha and Mir Imtiaz addressed the gathering.

CPI(ML) New Democracy demands the immediate lifting of economic blockade of Kashmir, lifting of curfew and stop to repression of people of J&K and prosecution of Azad-Mufti and Sinha.