india

Updated: Aug 31, 2019 00:52 IST

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury spent over six hours with his ailing comrade and former lawmaker Md Yusuf Tarigami over two days, refused any state hospitality and even distributed belated Eidi to workers in a guest house after learning that they were not allowed to go home on Eid al-Adha.

Yechury’s visit in Kashmir—the first by any political leader after the abrogation of Article 370—was hectic yet successful. When he arrived in Srinagar on Thursday, state police officials greeted him but took him to a room in the airport to finalize his travel plan. According to officials, he was told that they will escort him to Tarigami’s house and after a meeting, put him back on an evening flight for Delhi.

Yechury, armed with a Supreme Court order to see the former lawmaker, refused to adhere to the plan and told Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, Kashmir SSP (security) that he would take a call on when to return after he meets Tarigami.

According to an official, the officials went into a huddle before informing Yechury that they are okay with his plan.

Soon after he met Tarigami at his residence, the CPI(M) general secretary sought the whereabouts of the doctor treating Tarigami, as he wanted a briefing from him. While the cops wanted to rush him to the airport, Yechury took out a copy of the SC order and read out the part that said he was allowed to ascertain Tarigami’s whereabouts and medical condition.

When officials could not reach a doctor due to restrictions on landlines and mobile networks, Yechury was taken to a guest house overlooking Jhelum and Tarigami told the officials to bring his family physician to his home on Friday morning.

Next morning, Yechury refused to avail of the J&K administration’s hospitality and insisted that he be produced a bill for his food and lodging. Yechury also paid Eidi to the guest house employees as they were not allowed to go home on Eid. Yechury then met Tarigami’s doctor and took a detailed report of his health.

Upon his return to Delhi, Yechury said, “I will file an affidavit in court regarding his health condition and also report on what I saw there,” adding that during the drive from the airport to Tarigami’s house, he saw that the situation on the ground was “completely contrary” to what the BJP-led government was saying.

(With PTI inputs)