CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja were on Friday detained at the Srinagar airport and denied entry into the region.
Later both the leaders were sent back from Srinagar airport after a brief detention. The CPI-M said that the duo had gone to Srinagar to visit CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, who is ailing, and to meet the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
It condemned the detention of two leaders and said it showed the “authoritarian face of BJP government”.
CPIM Politburo condemns the detention of General Secretary @SitaramYechury & D Raja, CPI General Secretary, @ Srinagar airport. This shows the authoritarian face of the Govt.
Politburo calls upon the people to protest this anti-democratic act of the Govt.https://t.co/Vo8MCKeQup— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) August 9, 2019
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Yechury had on Thursday written to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, saying he will be visiting Srinagar on Friday to meet his party MLA and other members of the party.
.@SitaramYechury has being detained at Srinagar Airport and not allowed to move anywhere. This despite the fact that he had informed the administration about his visit to meet CPIM MLA MY Tarigami who is not well & other party workers.
We strongly protest this illegal detention.— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) August 9, 2019
Earlier on Thursday, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was also detained at the Srinagar airport and was sent back to the national capital.
J&K has been under restrictions following Centre’s decisions to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories and to repeal Article 370.
(With ANI inputs)