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CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has written to President Ramnath Kovind complaining that the Centre denied him "basic elementary democratic right" by detaining him at Srinagar airport on Friday.
Terming the incident as strange, Yechury urged the President to ensure that all Indian citizens are permitted to exercise their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
He wrote his experience upon landing at the Srinagar Airport on Friday and requested the President's intervention since the State is under central rule under the authority of the President's office.
Read more:Yechury, Raja detained; sent back from Srinagar
"For over four hours, I was kept under police custody. Comrade D Raja, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India, was also accompanying me. When I demanded to see the orders, a district magistrate was produced who had the orders to the effect that our visiting Srinagar could cause law and order problems and hence we are being prohibited to leave the airport," he said.
He said he had informed the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir that he will be visiting Srinagar to meet Mohd. Yusuf Tarigami, CPI(M) leasder and four time elected MLA. "He was not keeping well and I was carrying some medicines for him. Despite the knowledge that as the General Secretary of the CPI(M), a national political party, I had the right to visit my Party members and my Party leaders, particularly when they have health problems, I was denied my basic elementary democratic right," Yechury said in the letter.
He said there is widespread discontent among the people and there are a large number of complaints regarding the denial of basic human rights.
"Some news agencies, both foreign and domestic, are reporting about people’s protests and police violence against them. This is a serious matter which needs your consideration and intervention. As the custodian of the Indian Constitution, I urge you to ensure that all Indian citizens are permitted to exercise their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India," he added.
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