*Separatists’ activities helping Mufti in Valley: Jora 

Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 17: Former minister and J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Ahmed Mir today said that party suffered defeat in the Assembly elections in the State because grass- root Congress workers were ignored by the ‘senior leaders in power’ and the dejected workers ignored the leaders contesting elections.
“Congress is such a strong party that no other party has capacity to defeat it. Some people say it was Modi wave and rejection by the people. But after getting feed back from the workers during interactive meetings, it was discovered that workers have strong resentment for being ignored by senior leaders during power (as ministers). They were not listened and felt dejected. And if the ground level party worker is not given due respect or listened by those in power, the party defeat is sure. We have to realize this fact and correct the past mistakes,” Mir cautioned the leaders and other party functionaries while addressing party convention in Gandhi Nagar constituency of Jammu city here today.
PCC chief said that J&K is described as mini India in view of its pluralistic character and other diversities. He said the divisive politics in the State is dangerous for keeping the three regions together in the wake of hostile neighbour and other inimical forces.
Launching attack on ruling parties in the State, Mir alleged that PDP-BJP had a pre-poll tactical understanding to polarize the situation in both the regions by exploiting the regional and religious sentiments of the people to secure their respective mandate. He said the delay in formation of Govt after declaration of Assembly results was part of the game plan to hoodwink the people and to hide the politics of falsehood and deceit.
Mir said that peace and democracy in the State has been restored by the sacrifices of people, security forces and political workers. The secular forces should not allow the communal and divisive forces to destroy this achievement at any cost. He asked people to get ready to expose the agenda of those opportunistic forces which betrayed the people. He asked party workers to get ready for Local Bodies polls and claimed that adequate representation to the women and youth would be given by the party. He said that genuine workers would get due place in the organization at all levels while those who indulged in indiscipline especially during the recent elections and non-performers would be shown the door.
CLP Leader Rigzin Jora while launching attack on PDP said that the incidents like waving of Pakistani flags by separatists in Srinagar was a part of larger conspiracy that has been helping Mufti Mohd Sayeed to increase his acceptability in Kashmir valley. He said these incidents were a part of conspiracy that has been helping Mufti Sayeed to increase his acceptability in Kashmir.
Asserting that the country will have to pay a bigger price for this, Jora said that Mufti was increasing his acceptability in the Kashmir valley by crushing BJP.
“Mufti knows this all as he too, is involved in this, otherwise, how is it possible that Pakistani flags are hoisted and anti-India and pro-Pakistani slogans raised just near the office of DGP,” Mr Jora asserted.
Former minister Sham Lal Sharma alleged that the wrong policies of this regime, have encouraged the anti- national elements, who are vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in the State. He said that the BJP had been accusing Congress policies while in Opposition but it has become mute spectator to the soft policies of the present Government towards separatists and militants. The public anger forced the BJP to succumb to the pressure to re-arrest the separatist Masrat Alam. He said
BJP has surrendered all the issues of Jammu people for power. He referred to the issues of Ministership for Jammu, delimitation, state subject to West Pakistan refugees and one time settlement of PoK refugees. He lashed at BJP for U-turn on setting up of AIIMS at Jammu which is a just demand and asked workers and people to fight for these issues.
Former minister Raman Bhalla in his address severely criticized BJP-PDP for playing with the sentiments of the nationalist forces and indulging in appeasement of separatist elements in the State. He said soon after taking oath, the Government adopted appeasement of separatists which sent wrong signals. Accusing BJP of surrender on issue of Article 370, relief and rehabilitation of border migrants, PoK and West Pak refugees and other commitments with the people, Mr Bhalla said that the package forwarded by the previous Government on the behest of Congress regarding refugees and migrants has been put in cold storage while taking U-turn on its stand West Pak refugees.
Mr Bhalla said that Congress would play the role of an effective Opposition to safeguard the interest of people of Jammu region and ensure equitable development of all three regions. He said that Congress would remain on the fore front to highlight and address the issues of people and force this Government to ensure justice to each and every section. He strongly demanded setting up of AIIMS at Jammu and maintained that during UPA regime two Central Universities, one for Kashmir and one for Jammu were given. Many senior leaders demanded setting up of AIIMS in Jammu and condemned local BJP leaders for their dubious role.
Prominent among those who attended/ spoke on the occasion included Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Anil Chopra, Indu Pawar, Manmohan Singh, Namrata Sharma, BS Sambyal, Parnav Shagotra, Neeraj Kundan, Jai Singh and B B Gupta.