The Supreme Court has granted permission to Sitaram Yechury, a CPI(M) leader to visit Jammu & Kashmir to meet his party colleague Yusuf Tarigami in the state. However, the court also told him not to use the visit for any other political purpose. The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said if Yechury indulges in any political activities, authorities are free to report them to the apex court. Yusuf Tarigami was put into preventive custody by the authorities in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. Tarigami is a member of the Central Committee of the CPI(M) and has served as a four-time MLA of the dissolved Jammu & Kashmir legislative assembly.

Sitaram Yerchury says he will give a statement only after his return

Sitaram Yechury made two attempts to visit Jammu & Kashmir, once with the CPI General Secretary D.Raja and another with an Opposition delegation. On both occasions, he had to return from the Srinagar Airport on orders of the Jammu & Kashmir administration. The CPI(M) then filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution, which gives the person the right to move to the Supreme Court for getting his fundamental rights protected. After the court's order, Yechury has said that after his visit he will first 'report' to the court about Tarigami's health and only then will he give statements. 

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WHAT THE SC SAID

The Centre had argued that Sitaram Yeruchury's visit will disturb the peace in the valley as the visit appears to be political. The Chief Justice then replied that "if he's a citizen of the country he can go" adding that "indulges any other issue it will be treated as a violation of the Supreme Court order." Jammu & Kashmir has been under some restrictions in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 to avoid any unrest and violence.

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