Lift communication blockade in J&K: Artists, writers

Over 80 artistes and academicians urge the government to lift the blockade in the state which is witnessing an unprecedented lockdown since August 5

Over 500 academicians and scientists on Saturday expressed concern over the continuing communication blockade and detention of Opposition leaders in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5 after the revoking of special status to the state, calling it "deeply undemocratic".

Separately, over 80 artistes and academicians have urged the government to lift the blockade in the state which is witnessing an unprecedented lockdown since August 5 after the Centre revoked the special status to the state.

In their statement, 504 academicians and scientists said they have "deep" concern about the crisis in Kashmir "that has now persisted for over a month, and which was precipitated by the government's decision" to de-operationalise Article 370 and to end Jammu and Kashmir’s full statehood.

They said they hold various views on the issue of Article 370 and other substantive questions about the conflict in Kashmir but agree that the government that it is duty-bound to uphold the rights and protect the welfare of all of its citizens.

"In line with these obligations, we call on the government to immediately restore full communications in Kashmir, lift the security restrictions that are hampering ordinary life, release dissidents and opposition leaders, and conduct transparent and impartial investigations into the allegations of human rights abuses," they said.

Questioning government's claims that landlines have been restored in Kashmir, they reminded that land-line teledensity in Kashmir is below 1% according to the government's own statistics and this measure has failed to provide substantive relief to Kashmir’s residents.

"In our own institutions, we have witnessed students suffering because they are unable to maintain contact with their families. Moreover, credible reports suggest that these restrictions have made it difficult for ordinary people in Kashmir to procure medical and essential supplies or even for children to attend school," the statement said.

They said the government’s actions in detaining and restricting the communications of opposition leaders and dissidents in Kashmir are "deeply undemocratic" and "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."

They also said they were "disturbed by the multiple reports of human rights violations in Kashmir by Indian security forces", it added.

In their joint statement, 83 artists, writers and academicians have urged the government to lift the blockade in the state which is witnessing an unprecedented lock-down since August 5 after the Centre revoked the special status to the state.

In a joint statement, they said they were "greatly disturbed" by the shut-down in communication network for well over five weeks in Jammu and Kashmir which is causing extreme hardship to the people there.

"Family members outside Jammu and Kashmir are unable to contact their relatives in the state; students cannot receive funds from their families; and acute distress is being faced by patients unable to access medical help," the statement signed among others by academicians Irfan Habib, Romila Thapar and Prabhat Patnaik and artists Atul Dodiya and Vivan Sundaram.

"We call on the government to lift the communications blockade immediately so that our fellow citizens are spared this suffering," the statement also signed by artists and writers Anju Dodiya, Orijit Sen, Ashok Vajpeyi, Riyas Komu, Molayashree Hashmi and MK Raina said.