‘We stand with Kashmir’

article 370 1565188182

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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