Ally turns against Mehbooba on poll turf

After Baramulla, the Jammu and Kashmir ruling coalition partners are now going to clash in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, with sen...

After Baramulla, the Jammu and Kashmir ruling coalition partners are now going to clash in the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, with senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yosuf Tarigami deciding to take on People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Announcing his candidature, Tarigami said he was not satisfied with the functioning of the present government.

‘‘We have given issue-based support to the government—we support them on good issues and we oppose them in public if they fail to deliver. I am not satisfied with the functioning of the government so I have decided to contest elections from the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat,’’ he said.

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Elaborating his problem with the coalition government, Tarigami talked of the infighting among its ministers, belonging to different parties, and complained that the PDP and Congress were fooling people by seeking votes in the name of solving the Kashmir problem.

‘‘These elections are not being held for solving the Kashmir issue but only to get representatives of the state elected to a bigger forum,’’ said Tarigami, adding the Kashmir problem is a complex issue that can be resolved only through a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan.

‘‘Unless some bold initiatives are taken, the Kashmir problem can never get solved. All the separatist leaders should be involved. The mainstream parties can act as facilitator between separatists of all shades and the Centre,’’ said the Communist leader.

Tarigami also accused the government of failure to put an end to human rights violations in the state. ‘‘Human rights of innocent civilians are still violated with impunity, while a number of youth continue to rot in jail, many without even trial,’’ he said.

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The CPI(M) leader also accused the BJP of playing around with the federal and democratic structure of the country, and questioned its hobnobbing with ‘‘imperialist’’ forces like America and Israel.

It wasn’t India that was shining but members of the BJP involved in the scams and Gujarat riots, he said. ‘‘The vision document of the BJP has exposed the parties’ stand on Kashmir regarding Article 370. Unfortunately, some so-called secular parties are also siding with the BJP.”

Tarigami regretted that the Centre continued to ignore the rights of the Kashmiri youth. ‘‘Unfortunately none of the vital issues confronting our state has been raised in an effective manner in the Lok Sabha.”

“The prospects of thousands of youths stepping out of the formal education system are growing bleak. Big cutbacks in public investments in agriculture and other sectors have plunged our state into a deep crisis,’’ he said.