Lift J&K curbs, 600 academics urge govt

BENGALURU: Over 600 academicians and scientists from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Indian Institute of Science and International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Indian Institute of Astrophysics and Indian Institutes of Technology, among others, expressed their deep concern over the situation in the Kashmir Valley for over a month.
The statement, published online on September 21, condemns the effect of the public lockdown on ordinary citizens. It says the situation was precipitated by the government’s decision to deoperationalise Article 370 and end Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood.
The statement said, “We are appalled by the government’s decision to restrict telecommunications and the internet in Kashmir for over a month.”
“We remind the government that it is duty-bound to uphold the rights and protect the welfare of all its citizens. In line with these obligations, we call on the government to immediately restore full communications in Kashmir, lift the restrictions that are hampering ordinary life, release dissidents and opposition leaders and conduct transparent and impartial investigations into the allegations of human rights abuses,” says the statement.
It also said: “We believe the government’s actions in detaining and restricting the communications of opposition leaders and dissidents in Kashmir are deeply undemocratic. Whatever views one might hold about these individuals, a fundamental norm in a democracy is that the party in power does not have the right to lock up its political opponents when they have not even been accused of any crimes.”
The signatories added they are disturbed by reports of human rights violations in Kashmir by Indian security forces.
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References

1. ^{^} Kashmir (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} Article 370 (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} democracy (www.speakingtree.in)

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