New Delhi: Hitting out at the BJP-led government over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370, senior CPI(M) leader and former J-K MLA Yousuf Tarigami on Wednesday asked the Centre, to notify the newly formed Union Territory as a central jail so that it no longer has to enforce draconian laws like the PSA on its citizens.
Addressing a press conference at the party office here, Tarigami attacked the Centre over the continued restrictions in the Valley.
"Kashmir has turned into a big human tragedy. Senior leaders are put in jail under draconian laws like the PSA," he said.
He further lashed out at the Centre, and questioned it as to why it has not held elections in the Union Territory yet.
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"Why are they scared, when they say the situation is normal? Why haven't elections been held yet? We want to be a part of Indian democracy," he said, urging the rest of India to raise its voice for the rights of Kashmiris.
"Why doesn't this government notify Kashmir as a central jail, there will be no need draconian laws like PSA, and there will be no need for locking leaders in house arrest," he said.
Welcoming the AAP's victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, he said the people of the national capital have shown some light in the "regime of darkness".
"AAP's victory was like a hope in the current regime of darkness," Tarigami said, congratulating the people of Delhi.
"We have no trust in the government, but we trust the people of the country and what happened yesterday in Delhi gives us hope," he added.
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