A high-level delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), led by General Secretary M.A. Baby, visited the Uri sector in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district to assess the situation of families affected by recent cross-border shelling.

The delegation, comprising MPs Amra Ram, K. Radhakrishnan, John Brittas, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, S.U. Venkatesan, A.A. Rahim, and Kulgam MLA Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami, visited the Trade Facilitation Centre in Salam Abad, which is currently serving as a temporary shelter for displaced families.

Expressing grave concern over the conditions in which border residents are living, Baby said the government’s rhetoric was no substitute for actual relief.

“Huge destruction has taken place, and no compensation is forthcoming. Families are crammed into small rooms, which is simply unacceptable,” he told reporters after meeting affected villagers.

The delegation interacted with families who have lost homes and livelihoods due to shelling and drone attacks. One particularly distressing case involved an eight-member family forced to share a single room.

Baby questioned the government’s rehabilitation efforts, saying, “They claim to offer big packages, but what about the people already suffering? What is the status of those promises?”

Criticising the Prime Minister’s absence from two all-party meetings on Jammu and Kashmir, Baby added, “While people here suffer, the Prime Minister is busy delivering lectures elsewhere. This apathy is deeply concerning.”

CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami said the party's MPs would raise the issue in both houses of Parliament.

“We will not allow the Centre’s indifference to go unchallenged. There is an urgent need to convene a special session of Parliament to address the hardships of border communities,” he said.

The delegation demanded immediate measures for the provision of secure shelters and adequate compensation for the displaced. They called on the government to implement comprehensive rehabilitation schemes for those affected by cross-border hostilities.

The CPI(M) team is on a two-day visit to the Valley and is scheduled to hold a one-day convention at Tagore Hall in Srinagar on Wednesday, where party leaders will address broader issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tarigami said the purpose of the visit was to engage directly with residents and understand the ground realities faced by those living along the volatile Line of Control.