Srinagar, Feb 18, KNT: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) concluded its two-day 13th State Conference in Jammu on February 18, with hundreds of party members and activists in attendance. The event was marked by passionate slogans, and senior party leaders including Comrade Prakash Karat and Dr. Ashok Dhawale were welcomed by the gathering.
In his inaugural address, Prakash Karat, a member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, sharply criticized the Modi-led government for the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and its division into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019. Karat condemned the move as “unconstitutional” and a betrayal of the promises made to the people of J&K in 1947. He called the abrogation of the state’s special status a direct assault on the Indian Constitution and federal structure, urging secular and democratic forces to join the fight for the restoration of statehood.
Karat also took aim at the BJP and RSS, accusing them of undermining India’s secular values. He criticized the central government for allegedly withholding financial support to non-BJP-ruled states, which, according to him, hampered their development.
Dr. Ashok Dhawale, President of the All India Kisan Sabha, also a Polit Bureau member, criticized the BJP government’s pro-corporate policies, stating they disproportionately benefited large corporations at the cost of the working class. Dhawale highlighted the role of farmers in forcing the government to repeal the controversial farm laws after more than a year of protests under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.
M.Y. Tarigami, senior CPI(M) leader and former legislator from Jammu and Kashmir, strongly condemned the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A, calling it a “brazen assault” on the constitutional rights of J&K’s people. Tarigami criticized the bifurcation of the state, saying it disregarded the aspirations of its people. He also highlighted the historical significance of land protection laws under Maharaja Hari Singh, which safeguarded local residents from encroachment, a protection dismantled by the current government.
Furthermore, Tarigami raised concerns over rising unemployment in J&K, demanding immediate action to address the crisis. He called for the release of political prisoners and journalists and the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.
The conference passed several resolutions on key issues including democratic rights, civil liberties, unemployment, the National Education Policy, trade union rights, land laws, and the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants.
The event concluded with the election of a new 23-member state committee, with Mohd. Abass Rather appointed as the Secretary of the CPI(M) State Committee.
