‘Party to take cognizance of genuine demands’
Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR, Aug 9: The crisis being faced by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kashmir valley has blown over for the time being after the intervention of party’s UT president, Ravinder Raina who gave an assurance to the agitating party men in the Valley that all their genuine grievances and concerns will be addressed.
Raina after coming to know that Kashmir unit of the party is facing crisis immediately flew to Srinagar this afternoon and held a meeting with angry leaders of the party from Valley to assuage their feelings.
Raina told Excelsior that the issue has been solved amicably as he talked with all the senior party leaders one to one and discussed all issues with them. He said that these leaders had some issues and problems and all their reservations and concerns will be addressed by the party as we all are a one family.
He said that there was no revolt in the party as they all are senior functionaries of the BJP who served it with loyalty for the years together and their services can’t be ignored. “They played a great and significant role in strengthening BJP in Kashmir and the party fully acknowledges their role. We take pride in them and the party will take care of their all grievances and we all will unitedly strengthen the party in Kashmir”, he added.
Earlier some senior functionaries of the party in Kashmir had declared rebellion against the leadership and had convened an emergency meeting in a hotel at Rajbagh during the day to pressurize the party not to isolate them and give them their due place in the organisation. To set the things right and convince the warring faction not to take any extreme step, Raina rushed to Srinagar and held individual meetings with angry leaders from the Valley. He also contacted some of them on phone and assured that the leadership is solidly behind them and all their genuine demands will be settled, party sources said.
Sources said that these leaders had even warned to quit the party in case the High Command does not take them seriously and take care of their genuine issues. They had convened an emergency meeting in which about 60 senior functionaries took part. The prominent among those who attended the meeting included former MLC and vice president of the party, Sofi Yousf, spokesperson, Altaf Thakur, Dr Heena Bhat, Dr Ali Mohammed, Asif Raja, Ashok Bhat, Bilal Parrey, Bashir Mir, Asif Masoodi, Rafiq Wani etc.
The angry leaders had convened a meeting at a hotel in Rajbagh near here, today showing serious resentment against what they alleged that the senior leaders from Valley are being ignored by the party and decisions are thrust on them.
However, during the meeting the angry leaders raised slogans Bharat Mata Ki Jai, BJP Zindabad and party unity Zindabad. They did not give any sign of rebellion against party as Raina and some senior leaders from Jammu had established contact with them.
“We are not quitting the party nor have we shown any resentment against the leadership”, party spokesman, Altaf Thakur who attended the rebel group meeting said.
“Everything is right in the party and we have some genuine demands towards which we are bringing the attention of the party leadership and we want these grievances be settled,” he said.
He said we are those functionaries of the party who faced threat during Burhan Wani killing in 2017 but despite that we stood solidly behind the party for the national cause and took the party flag in our hands despite receiving threats. “We have every right to hold meeting as we are demanding the rights which is not a sin”.
Another party leader, Rafiq Wani who was also in dissident group said that they have some genuine issues among them one is that out of 12 vice presidents in the party in J&K 11 are from Jammu and only one is from Kashmir when the Kashmir has more population and more Assembly seats than Jammu so this is a grave injustice with party men from Valley, he added.
Moreover, the hardworking and loyal party men from the Valley be given preference and new comers should not be thrust on them, he said, adding that preference and party positions be given on the basis of performance and output of a party man.
Rafiq Wani said that they have been given to understand that a team from Delhi is visiting Kashmir to hold talks with party leaders and listen to their genuine grievances and they will put our issues before them. “But we are the soldiers of the party and will never quit it”, he added.
He said “We have given sacrifices for the party, took out Tiranga rallies and all risk for strengthening of the party in Valley so how can we be ignored”, he added.
Another party leader who also joined the rebels meeting on the condition of anonymity said on August 5 a programme was held at Srinagar but all the senior leaders were ignored. This has annoyed the senior functionaries and so they showed their resentment but nobody is quitting the party, he added.
He said the issue has been settled as senior functionaries of the party including Sofi Yousf , Dr Ali Mohammed, G M Mir , Ashok Bhat, Manzoor Bhat, Arif Raja, Rafiq Wani, Mohammed Altaf Thakur and Bilal Parrey met the party J&K chief Ravinder Raina who assured that all the issues concerning them will be settled. He said most likely party national general secretary (Org), B L Santosh may visit Valley and meet the party leaders to settle the issue.
Meanwhile, source said that some party leaders are demanding that they should be given the audience by High Command and even they want to meet Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. However, Raina has told them that they will settle the issue on their own and there is no need to meet the senior party leaders at Delhi.
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