Jammu 06 June – During the ongoing Assembly session, MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, called for restoring job and land rights for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as originally promised by Maharaja Hari Singh. He made these comments during the Motion of Thanks on the Lieutenant Governor’s address, stressing the importance of protecting the interests of the region’s residents.
Tarigami strongly disagreed with remarks made by BJP Leader of Opposition (LOP) Sunil Sharma about the July 13, 1931 martyrs. He expressed disappointment over the comments from senior BJP members, saying, “It is unfortunate that senior colleagues have said such things. Knowing history is very important.”
He explained that the Dogra state was formed in 1846 after the Treaty of Amritsar and pointed out that Kashmir, with its 5,000-year history, was “sold by the British,” the same colonial power that freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh fought against.
Tarigami criticized the BJP for downplaying the legacy of Dogra rulers and the contributions of historical figures like Zorawar Singh. He questioned why Ladakh was separated from Jammu and Kashmir, asking, “Why was Ladakh separated from Jammu and Kashmir?” In response, BJP members said the separation was due to dissatisfaction with the Kashmir administration. Tarigami countered, “When you [referring to Jammu] were happy with Kashmir, but you are still with us.”
He also condemned the decision to downgrade Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a union territory, calling it an unusual move. Tarigami questioned how a nominated Governor could represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying, “Can you give me an example where a state was turned into a union territory? How can a nominated Governor represent the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir?”
In his speech, Tarigami praised Jammu and Kashmir’s history of maintaining peace among different communities, stating, “When the whole country was facing communal violence, it was Kashmir that remained peaceful.” He recognized the contributions of National Conference founder Sheikh Abdullah and the Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir for implementing important land reforms that helped farmers in the region.
“Today, you want to remove Sheikh Abdullah’s birthday from the list of holidays, but he was the one who ensured a decent living for even the poorest people, whether from Jammu or Kashmir,” he said.
Addressing former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Tarigami pointed out the limitations of the current administration, saying, “People know that you [CM] cannot even transfer a constable from your office. However, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are not asking for charity; they want their rights and dignity back.”
He concluded by stating, “Our rights should be restored according to the Constitution of India. Let us all demand, regardless of our political parties, that we want the same state that was founded by the Dogra rulers, and we want our job and land rights back.”
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