NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi has stated here today that he would himself visit Occupied Kashmir’s city Srinagar to see if people were unable to access the region’s High Court: “It’s very, very serious if people are unable to approach the High Court; I will myself visit Srinagar,” he held.
CJI while hearing a petition filed by child rights activists Enakshi Ganguly and Professor Shanta Sinha remarked: “If you make a statement that it’s difficult to approach the HC, it’s a very serious statement. Is anyone coming in the way of you going to the High Court? Please tell why?”
Enakshi Ganguly and Professor Shanta Sinha’s advocate held that Kashmiris confined in the occupied region could not access the Jammu and Kashmir High Court since the lockdown was imposed 43 days ago on 5th of August, 2019.
That was one of many appeals filed by civil society members regarding the ongoing clampdown in occupied Kashmir.
Warning a lawyer for one of the petitioners to be ready for consequences if the report was contrary to what was being said, the CJI has asked for a report from the CJ of the region’s HC.
Asking the BJP government to make all endeavors to restore normalcy in Kashmir as soon as possible CJI Gogoi held: “We are not passing any orders. We are saying restore keeping in mind national security. We have said all facilities should be restored keeping in mind national security. We are not carving out exceptions for any category.”
Meanwhile, Supreme Court of India has permitted Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, to visit occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Azad has been asked to interact with people in the region and to file a report on the state-of-affairs. Azad has been barred from participating in any political rally.
It is pertinent to mention here that Azad was part of the delegation of senior opposition leaders of India that was forced to go back after landing in Srinagar on 24th of August, 2019. Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi too was part of the team.
