[Marxistindia] CPI(M) General Secretary's letter to President of India

[news from the cpi(m)]

August 10, 2019
 
Press Release
 
Shri Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of Communist Party of India
(Marxist), written the following letter to the President of India after he
was denied entry in Srinagar to meet CPI(M) Central Committee member, Mohd.
Yusuf Tarigami, and detained by the police and judicial authorities for over
four hours.
 
We are herewith releasing the text of the letter for publication.
 
 
Dear Respected Rashtrapati ji,
 
I am writing to you to relate my experience when I landed at the Srinagar
Airport on 9th August morning. I am writing to you because Jammu & Kashmir
is under central rule under the authority of your office, The President of
India.
 
As soon as I disembarked from the aircraft, I was surrounded by police and
escorted to a room where a senior police officer informed me that his orders
are not to allow me to exit from the airport and I should return to Delhi by
the earliest flight for which they said they would make the arrangement. I
had a return ticket for the same day evening flight to Delhi. Since I had my
return ticket booked, I said that I would travel only by the flight for
which I had booked. 
 
For over four hours, I was kept under police custody. Comrade D Raja,
General Secretary of the Communist Party of India, was also accompanying me.
 
When I demanded to see the orders, a district magistrate was produced who
had the orders to the effect that our visiting Srinagar could cause law and
order problems and hence we are being prohibited to leave the airport. 
 
This is strange. I had intimated the Honourable Governor of Jammu & Kashmir
on the 8th that I would be visiting Srinagar on the 9th to meet Mohd. Yusuf
Tarigami, CPI(M) Central Committee member and four time elected MLA of J&K
assembly. He was not keeping well and I was carrying some medicines for him.

 
Despite the knowledge that as the General Secretary of the CPI(M), a
national political party, I had the right to visit  my Party members and my
Party leaders, particularly when they have health problems, I was denied my
basic elementary democratic right. 
 
During our protest for over four hours against being denied permission to
visit our Party members, I learnt that there is widespread discontent
amongst the people and there are a large number of complaints regarding the
denial of basic human rights. Some news agencies, both foreign and domestic,
are reporting about people's protests and police violence against them.
This is a serious matter which needs your consideration and intervention.
 
As the custodian of the Indian Constitution, I urge you to ensure that all
Indian citizens are permitted to exercise their fundamental rights
guaranteed by the Constitution of India. 
 
I have been denied my elementary democratic right when the current central
rule functions under your authority. I am writing to you to register my
strong protest against this denial of my democratic right.
 
Enclosed is the copy of the letter I had addressed to the Honourable
Governor of Jammu & Kashmir on the 8th. 
 
                   With regards,
          Yours sincerely
 
Sd/-
(Sitaram Yechury)
General Secretary
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Letter sent to Hon'ble Governor of Jammu & Kashmir on August 8
 
 
Shri Satya Pal Malik,
Governor, Jammu & Kashmir
 
 
Dear Malik ji,
 
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has an active unit in the state of
Jammu & Kashmir and it had a MLA, Mohd. Yusuf Tarigami in the dissolved J&K
assembly. 
 
As the General Secretary of a national party, I wish to visit Mohd. Yusuf
Tarigami (who I was informed, is not keeping good health) and other members
of my Party. I propose to reach Srinagar on the 9th morning to meet them.
 
I hope the administration will not create any hurdles in discharging my
responsibilities as a leader of my Party.
 
 
With regards,
Yours sincerely
 
Sd/-
(Sitaram Yechury)
 
 
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