'Article 370 should be the concern of the republic itself': Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami

As Jammu and Kashmir prepares for its first Assembly elections in a decade, CPI(M) leader and People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) spokesperson Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami discusses the political landscape following the abrogation of Article 370. In an exclusive interview with Frontline, Tarigami addresses the challenges facing the region, including the downgrading of statehood, concerns over land and job protections, and the need for unity among secular parties to counter the BJP's influence. He stresses the broader implications of Article 370's removal, calling it an "assault on the bond of relationship" between J&K and India, while expressing cautious optimism about the restoration of statehood and the democratic process.