Arrests ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir unjustified: Tarigami

SRINAGAR: Terming as "unjustified" the detention of several leaders and activists across the Valley ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Saturday, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today alleged that the state government is misusing the official machinery.

"Arrests are being made indiscriminately and most of the police stations have caged the youth ... a sense of fear has been generated among the people," Tarigami, MLA from Kulgam, said in a statement.

The only Communist legislator from the Valley asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to "stop harassing the people".

"What is PDP-BJP coalition aiming to achieve out of these detentions?" Tarigami questioned and said all this was bound to prove counter-productive.

"The Prime Minister's visit is being given hype for nothing, as funding and allocations for any state in a federal structure is mandatory," he said and castigated the Centre for delaying relief to the flood affected people of the state.

Tarigami alleged that the government machinery from top to bottom is being mobilised for the Prime Minister's rally and the PDP-BJP leadership is trying to give an impression that the Central government is bestowing huge favours to Jammu and Kashmir.

Criticising Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for repeatedly praising Modi and the RSS as being tolerant and inclusive, Tarigami said, "before eulogising them, he should introspect the ground realities in the state and the rest of the country, which are exclusively contrary to his claims".

Modi will be visiting Kashmir for a day on November 7, during which he will address a rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium.

Altogether 100 separatist leaders and activists have been taken into preventive custody to ensure that the rally passes off without any problems.

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a parallel rally that day, which has been backed by almost all separatist groups here.