Tarigami to withdraw 'disturbed areas' act from J

Jammu, Feb 4 (UNI) Demanding a high-powered commission to ascertain the truth behind fake encounters, CPM leader and member of Legislative Assembly Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today suggested that the Armed Forces Special Powers and the Disturbed Areas provision be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing mediapersons at his residence, Mr Tarigami reiterated that in view of all these incident, the time has come when the acts like Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 and the 'Disturbed Areas Act' need to be withdrawn from the state.

While terming the incidents including the killing of innocent civilians at Ganderbal and other places in the valley as ''tragic,'' Mr Tarigami said all these had brought to light the pattern of anti-insurgency policies being pursued in the State.

''The deliberate acts of snuffing out of the lives of ordinary people for rewards and promotion demonstrates the callousness of certain sections of the forces engaged in internal security and their utter disregard for the sanctity and dignity of human lives,'' he said.

Mr Tarigami said it was true that a judicial enquiry into the Ganderbal killing may not be enough taking into consideration the deep malaise that has set into the pattern of dealing with the violence in the State, that has heaped untold miseries upon the people.

''Every one knows that during the past years, a number of such tragic incidents have occurred in which precious human lives were cut short and, there was a persistent public demand for a thorough probe to bring to light the truth behind these,'' he said. He said an unspecified number of cases of 'disappearances' and fake encounters have wrought havoc with the lives of the people and this pattern continues till this day. ''It is yet to be ascertained as to who are the elements behind such despicable acts,'' he added.

''Our party has persistently been demanding a credible probe into all such cases. We believe the time has come when the powers that be take serious measures to present the true facts behind all these incidents before the people so that the elements, on whose hands there is blood, are adequately punished and the aggrieved are compensated and rehabilitated,'' he said.

He once again demand a high-powered commission for ascertaining the truth behind such incidents. ''We believe that the malaise is too deep and the recent incidents that have come to light are only a tip of the iceberg, he said.

UNI