Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 19: Perturbed over the defeat of the party in the country as well as in the J&K State by losing all the Lok Sabha seats, grass-root Congress workers today trained guns on their own party ministers and openly spat venom on them alleging that they sacrificed their party agenda and manifesto and caused massive damage to the party at the cost of `coalition partners’.
In presence of AICC general secretary and party incharge for J&K Ambika Soni, former Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Pradesh Congress Committee president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and AICC secretary Incharge J&K, Main-ul-Haq, many speakers during one day convention of District Jammu (Rural/ Urban) here today, raised voice against indiscipline, neglect of party workers by own ministers, massive corruption, sacrifice of own party agenda/ manifesto at the cost of coalition partners. They said the major issues of refugees/ displaced persons and providing powers to Panchayats were ignored and interests of Jammu region were also over looked. They strongly pleaded to do away with the alliance with National Conference in coming Assembly elections, give mandate to honest, dedicated and clean image candidates with winning potential and of course, declaring Mr Azad as Chief Ministerial candidate to save party from further damage in the State.
The convention was organised by the party leadership to go for self-introspection and seek feed back from the grass- root party workers at Panchayat, Ward, Block and District level and explore and discuss the reasons behind the party defeat during recent Lok Sabha elections. The top leadership also gave enough time to the party workers to listen to their view point and grievances for making further strategy for the coming Assembly elections.
Apparently, Ms Soni and Azad were not happy with the party ministers and declined to comment on the allegations of the workers on the plea that they were here to listen to the party cadre and will take appropriate action after discussing the issues at the higher level. Mr Azad also politely refused to comment when asked whether Congress sacrificed its agenda for the sake of NC in J&K.
Majority of the party ministers from the region including including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Minister for PHE Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Sports Raman Bhalla, Minister Incharge Cooperatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Minister Incharge Revenue Ajaz Khan and Minister incharge Technical Education, Power and RDD Vikar Rasool, apparently had to feel the `heat’ as many party leaders of lower and middle rung were found firing salvo on them. The workers strongly demanded that Congress should go for polls at its own in the coming elections. They pointed out that those indulging in the acts of indiscipline were being encouraged while the loyalists were ignored.
Strong resentment among the cadre against the ministers was observed, who openly alleged that some of the ministers even did not allow them to their offices/ official residences and refuse to listen to them. The dejected and ignored workers will not be able to campaign for the party under such circumstances. They demanded that only those people who want to deliver to public, work for dedication and are honest and have clean image, should be given party ticket. The corrupt people should be thrown out in the coming elections, if the party wants to see good performance this time, they pleaded.
Pradesh Youth Congress general secretary Manjit Singh Jatt pointed out that people of the country voted against corruption issue this time. Taking lesson from the massive defeat and own mistakes of past, party high command should not give ticket to the corrupt people. He admitted that there was massive corruption in the party and for the transfers in various departments lakhs of rupees are exchanged. Without naming any minister, he said that those who are corrupt, should not be given chance to contest elections. Only honest and clean image people be given mandate.
Another PCC leader Kanta Bhan expressed that women workers are not respected in the party. They are not treated properly even by own ministers and some senior leaders. She alleged that party has to give respect to the women if it wants to grow and progress. She also alleged neglect of the grass- root worker by ministers. She alleged that many of them are ministers for ‘self’ and do not listen and give respect to the party workers. She said party should declare potential and honest candidates at the earlist so that the `opportunists’ in the party get enough time to switch over to the other parties.
Darshan Raina from Jammu Rural, Madan Lal Kashyap from OBC Cell, C L Bhat from Migrant Cell, KL Gupta, Maheshwar Singh, Vinod Sharma, Gurmeet Singh, Gurdarshan Singh, Gambhir Charak, Pawan Raina, Pranav Shagotra vice president PYC and others strongly expressed their view point and said that party has already suffered much damage in `coalition’ and workers would feel dejected if any alliance is forged with any party.
They demanded that Congress should fight elections at its own and clean image, loyalist and honest people be given mandate. Several former Ministers and legislators besides sitting MLAs were also present. District president, Jammu Rural Suman Bhagat and Om Chopra president Jammu Urban also gave their view point and suggestions.
Speaking to the media persons at the sidelines of the convention, Mr Azad expressed serious concern over the incident of violence at Baltal, base camp of Shri Amarnath yatra in Sonamarg and maintained that the incident should not be viewed as `communal’. He said it was just a clash between the two groups of local and non-locals over a petty issue and the mischief mongers tried to flare it by spreading rumors. He said this annual yatra is symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood as mostly Muslims including ponywallas, pithus etc offer their services to the Hindu pilgrims. The situation has been controlled and yatra also restored. He condemned the spat of violence and said that such incidents should not occur. He also sought inquiry into the matter and said that guilty would be punished.
Replying to another question on ceasefire violations, the former Union Minister said during the past two months of NDA rule, many incidents of ceasefire violations and infiltration have taken place in the State. “The BJP leaders used to accuse UPA of weak Governance and weak Prime Minister Dr Singh. A BSF jawan was killed and others were injured two days back in Jammu sector in Pak firing but there is no appropriate response from the Union Government,” Mr Azad maintained.
Commenting on bombing in Gaza in Palestinians, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni said that Congress has taken a stand in the both Houses of Parliament and also stalled proceedings. The innocents are being killed in Palestine but unfortunately Modi led NDA Government was silent spectator. She said Indian Government right from Nehru era stood before top Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat and Congress would continue to support that nation. India should strongly speak against atrocities of Israel on Palestinians, she maintained.
Several senior party leaders including DyCLP leader & MLA Bhaderwah Mohd Sharief Niaz, Mula Ram, Gulchain Singh Charak, Ex-MP Madan Lal Sharma, Janak Raj Gupta, Yogesh Sawhney, MLA Indu Pawar, Ravinder Sharma MLC, Ch Bashir Naz, Kuldip Verma and others were also present.
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