Deployment of Army in J&K 'unwarranted': CPI(M)

The CPI(M) today termed as "unwarranted" the government's decision to deploy the Army in Jammu and Kashmir and condemned the "indiscriminate" arrests of people in the valley.

The CPI(M) Thursday termed as "unwarranted" the government's decision to deploy the Army in Jammu and Kashmir and condemned the "indiscriminate" arrests of people in the valley.

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"The decision to use Army in the current situation is not in sync with the demands of the ground," the party's J&K unit secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said in a statement.

He also asked all political parties in the state not to indulge in blame-game and contribute to minimise people's sufferings.

Tarigami asked the Centre not to handle the situation "casually" and said "a bold political initiative, including a serious dialogue with all shades of political opinion in the state" was an absolute must.

"Government of India must come out of its deep slumber and realise that the discontentment among the youth of Kashmir needs to be reasonably analysed and addressed," he said.

Expressing serious concern over the prevailing situation in Kashmir, he said the Army's role in the situation was not only "unwarranted and uncalled for", but was "unproductive".

He also criticised the state government for "curbing" media coverage and demanded that media persons be allowed to freely discharge their duties.

He also expressed anguish over shortage of essential commodities in the curfew-bound and far flung areas of the valley, including scarcity of medicines and other supplies in the hospitals.

Army troops have been deployed mostly in three places outsides Srinagar city and engaged only in petrolling on the streets since yesterday.

Sources said in the recent stone pelting incidents, more than 500 people, mostly security personnel, were injured in the valley.

The fresh spate of clashes between protesters and security forces that began a few days back has left three people dead.