Solidarity of poets, writers, advocates and of different political and human rights organisation to the struggle of people of Kashmir for autonomy
Since the abrogation of Article 370 and subsequent declaration of Kashmir as the union territory of India on 5th August 2019, the lives of the people of Kashmir have gone from bad to worse. Around 34000 Kashmiris, including young people, businesses men, village heads and hundreds of political activists those who took part in the elections, have ruthlessly been put in to jails or house arrests. Even until now, the internet service is not made available, locomotion is also strictly restricted, thousands of pregnant women cannot reach hospitals freely and above all students are deprived of getting education in the valley. Besides, encounters, arrests, and repression by the State have been going on. The life of common people is rather suffocated by the presence of more than seven lakhs military and para-military forces. The news from the valley are categorised as ‘fake’, ‘pilferaging’, and ‘anti-national’ as per the New Media Act, 2020 to suppress truth. As a result, the nation is in total darkness about the scenario of Kashmir. But the Central government states that “everything is normal in Kashmir”.
Now in the context of COVID – 19, the situation of Kashmir has worsened further as no sufficient testing is done and restriction is imposed upon communication. Regrettably, the Supreme Court sits silent and is reluctant to undertake its responsibility even during such human crisis. The petitions of many arrested persons have been listed for hearing in the court for last one year. Though the Disaster Management Act, 2005, a central act, has been invoked for management of COVID pandemic, the entire responsibility of the migrant labourers is shifted to the shoulder of the state governments. On the other hand, taking advantage of the pandemic, the centre has started encroaching upon the areas of the state governments like agriculture and taxation violating the principle of federalism. In this situation, we demand to free all political prisoners, to withdraw the army, to restore locomotion and Internet services, and to reinstall Article 370 and 35A to give back the previous autonomy to Kashmir and also to give more autonomy to all the States.
Signatories:
1. Ashutosh Parida, Poet
2. Biswapriya Kanunogo, Human Rights Activist
3. Rabi Das, Senior Journalist
4. Manoranjan Mohanty, Retd. Professor, Delhi Univesity
5. Prafulla Samantara, NAPM
6. Sudhir Patnaik, Journalist
7. Prof. Bijay Bahidar, Educationist
8. Dr. Golak Bihari Nath, Educationist
9. Saral Das, Columnist
10. Debendra Sutar, Rationalist
11. Bijay Panda, Advocate
12. Saroj Mohanty, Poet
13. Lenin Kumar, Poet
14. Golak Prasad Nayak, Advocate
15. Durga Prasad Panda, Poet
16. Dhanadakanta Mishra, Researcher, and writer
17. Srimanta Mohanty, Political Activist
18. Nigamananda Sadangi
19. Chittaranjan Barik, Human rights activist
20. Tapan Mishra, Political Activist
21. Ashok Das, Advocate
22. Surendra Tapasu, human rights activist
23. Rabi Shankar, poet
24. Lokanath Nayak, Social activist
25. A Mohan Naidu, AIFTU (New)
26. Deba Ranjan and all members of GASS, Odisha
27. Bhabani Bhuyan, President, Pragatishila Mahila Mancha, Odisha
28. Basudev Das, state committee member, AIKMKS
29. Batakrushna Swain, convenor, Upakulia Jami o Jangala Surakhya Samiti
30. Srikanta Mohanty, Secretary, AIKMKS
31. Kalachand Barik, Odisha Nirman Shramik Union
32. Ambika Prasad Panda, President, Odisha Nirman Shramik Union
33. Krushna Mohan Pradhan, Basti Surakhya Mancha
34. Susanta Behera, Lingaraj Biscuits Workers Union
35. Radharani Maharana, Akhila Bharat Krantikari Mahila Sangathan
36. Pradip Sahu, C.S. D., Odisha
37. Sarat Mallick, Chashi Mulia Surakha Sangram Parishad, Kandhamal
38. Gopinath Majhi, State Convenor, C.S.D., Odisha
39. Balabhadra Malik, Banabasi Surakha Parishad, Kandhamal
40. Narendra Mohanty, State Convenor, Campaign against Fabricated Cases, 41. Subal Sahu, Secretary, Shilpa Sramik Sangha
42. Tuna Mallick, State convenor, Adivasi Bharat Mahasabha
43. Sankar Sahu, State secretary, AIKKS
44. Hena Barik, President, Basti Surakha Mancha
45. Bhalachandra Sadangi, Secretary, AIKMS
46. Pratap Chandra Pradhan, Convenor, IFTU
47. Biswabasu Das, SUCI (Communist)
48. Pramila Behera, President, AIRWO
49. Sabyasachi, TUCI
50, Bichitra Kumar Patra , Odisha Nirman Shramik Union (ONSU)
51. Khageswar Sethi, Basti Basindanka Milita Mancha
52. Kishor Bhoi, TUCI
53. Bivek Ranjan, Convenor, OPDR India
54. Alexandar Ray, Parle-Lingaraj Biscuits Workers Union
55. Rajendra Barik, Vice President TUCI, Odisha
56. AJit Kumar Jena, Secretary, Anmol Biscuits Workers Union
57. Sibaram, State secretary, CPI – ML ( Red Star)
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