Kashmiris not terrorists, foreigners; listen to our voices too: MY Tarigami

‘Whatever happening in Valley isn't in country's interest’

JAMMU: Describing the present situation as ‘horrible times’, CPI(M) leader from Kashmir Mohd Yousuf Tarigami on Tuesday criticised the Centre for detaining former chief minister Farooq Abdullah under PSA, while asserting that people like him and Abdullah ‘are not terrorists’ and neither are they ‘any foreigners’.
“It is an appeal of a Kashmiri, a Hindustani. Please listen to us too,” Tarigami said, adding every Kashmiri wants to live peacefully and march together with the other countrymen.
Emphasising that whatever is happening in Kashmir is not in the interest of the country, the former MLA from Kulgam who became the first detained leader to address a press conference also said that Centre should have consulted with the stakeholders in State before deciding on J&K.
“We (Kashmiris) do not want anything but only a chance to march together with you (rest of the country),” an emotional Tarigami said while addressing a press conference with CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in New Delhi.
"We, Abdullah and others are not terrorists. It is such a horrible time. I am very disturbed," he said.
Tarigami said he was under house arrest since August 5, when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.
He was brought to the AIIMS here for treatment on the direction of the Supreme Court after it allowed Yechury to meet him in Srinagar and submit a report on his health condition.
Tarigami slammed the government over scrapping of special status to Jammu and Kashmir and contested its claim of normalcy returning to the Valley.
"It has been 40 days of restrictions but the government claims there is normalcy. Do this in Delhi or any other city and see what is the situation of business, hospitals, schools and media.
"How can they say that everything is under control? They are claiming that no one has been killed. I say people are dying, there is suffocation in the state," Tarigami said.
Alleging that the "very foundation of the unity of India with Kashmir is under assault", he said, "Listen to our version, the version of the people of Kashmir. We all want to live peacefully. I am not a foreigner."
People of Jammu and Kashmir had decided to remain with secular India, Tarigami said.
“Hum bhi jeena chate hai, ek Kashmiri, ek Hindustani bol raha hai yahan. Yeh meri appeal hai, hamari bhi sune (we also want to live, a Kashmiri, a Hindustani is saying this. This is my appeal, please listen to us too),” Tarigami said.
"Today Kashmiri politicians are in jail... people sitting across the border are clapping that you have done what we could not," he said and hit out at the government for detaining NC leader Abdullah.
"What is happening in Kashmir is not in the interest of the country. Now Kashmiri people do not have much expectations with today's regime," he said.
Tarigami said militancy can be tackled with the help of people but the government's policy is not helping in building trust.
"I want to ask, can you build trust among people by beating them, putting them in jails, suspending internet and telephone lines, crippling the daily life? Isn't it playing into the hands of the enemies of this country? he asked.
CPI(M) General Secretary Yechury said that the ground situation is Kashmir is completely different from what the government is claiming.
He also criticised Abdullah's detention and said that the situation is "very serious" in the state.
"It has been more than 40 days since the abrogation of Article 370. There is complete breakdown of communication in the state. The communication gap is isolating people," he said.
"There is no public transport and also there have been reports of shortage in medicines and treatment at hospitals. The situation needs to be improved," Yechury said.
On Sunday night, Abdullah, the 81-year-old patron of the National Conference (NC), was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).
The government has maintained that the steps were taken to maintain law and order and prevent any loss of life. Restrictions have since been lifted in Jammu and Ladakh regions.
The curbs have been eased in the Valley, though mobile and internet services are still suspended, according to officials.