With SC order in hand, Yechury to visit J&K on Aug 29

CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury will head to Srinagar on Thursday after Supreme Court allowed him to meet party leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami, who is in detention since August 5.

Immediately after the Supreme court order on his habeas corpus petition seeking the production of four-time MLA Tarigami, Yechury wrote to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik to facilitate his travel arrangements and said a personal attendant would be accompanying him as he was not “keeping good health and requires assistance”.

"In pursuance of the orders of the apex Court, I have decided to come to Srinagar tomorrow and meet Tarigami. Since I am not keeping good health and require assistance, a personal attendant would also be accompanying me. Since I am coming there in pursuance of the directions of the Supreme Court, I hope that I will be permitted a personal attendant," he said in the letter.

Yechury will board a flight to Srinagar at 9:55 am on Thursday. "The Supreme Court has permitted me to go to Srinagar and see Tarigami and 'report' back to them on the condition of his health. Once I meet him, return and report to the court, I will make a more detailed statement," Yechury told reporters.

The Supreme Court has said that the permission is only for visiting Tarigami and nothing else and that he should file an affidavit. “We make it clear that if the petitioner is found to be indulging in any other act, omission or commission..., it will be construed to be a violation of this court’s order,” the court said.

Yechury said he will file his affidavit on his return and on that basis the case will move forward.

The CPM leader had twice attempted to meet Tarigami but failed after the lockdown in Kashmir because he was not allowed beyond the airport. One was on August 9 when he and CPI General Secretary D Raja flew to Srinagar to meet party workers and the second time was when Opposition leaders attempted to visit Srinagar on August 24.