Many delegations meet LOP in Jammu
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 24: Leader of Opposition In Rajya Sabha and senior All India Congress Committee leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who arrived here from Kashmir this afternoon said that the situation was ‘very bad’ in Valley and about 90 % of the area was closed for the last about 50 days.
The AICC leader had reached Srinagar on Friday on his maiden visit to the State after the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5. His three earlier attempts to reach Srinagar had failed as he had been sent back from the Airport by the authorities.
On being asked by a few media-persons as to what was his assessment of the situation in Kashmir, Azad said, “It is very bad.”
“I do not have to say anything to media right now. I spent four days in Kashmir and arrived here to spend two more days in Jammu. After the end of the six-day tour, I will say whatever I have to say,” he told reporters outside his residence here.
In response to another question about submitting of his assessment report of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to the Supreme Court, the former J&K Chief Minister said, “ a decision on this would be taken after his return to Delhi.”
“I was not even allowed by the Administration to visit even 10 per cent of the places where I had planned to go in the Valley during my stay there. I had identified around 20 places but was allowed to visit only two in three districts of Kashmir. In about 99 % villages of Kashmir no public transport is plying. The ailing people/ patients are suffering. While shifting them to city hospitals, they take help from those having their private vehicles/cars,” Azad said.
Asked about detention of political leaders and curbs on political activities, Azad said, “There is no mark of freedom of speech in Jammu and Kashmir. I was not allowed to meet even some senior leaders of my party. There is some movement in few places like Lal Chowk, Jahangir Chowk and Civil Secretariat area in Srinagar where some shops were also open. Most of the areas are still ‘out of bound’ for the general public,” he maintained.
Quoting an example, he said a delegation came to meet him at Srinagar from Beerwah area of Budgam and they reached at his place of stay in Srinagar after 8 hours by changing four vehicles and taking lifts. Normally, it takes hardly 2 hours to reach Srinagar from their village. This is the state of affairs in Valley,” he asserted.
It is pertinent to mention here that Azad’s visit became possible after the Supreme Court on September 16 allowed him to tour the State.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, had allowed the Congress leader to visit four districts — Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla and Anantnag to meet people.
In his petition filed in his “personal capacity”, Azad had told the Supreme Court that he had tried to visit the state thrice, but was sent back from the airport.
Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader said Azad will restrict his visit to Jammu district alone as per the Supreme Court directive.
“He will hold meetings with party activists and will be interacting with cross-section of people to assess the situation,” he said.
He said it is unfortunate that Azad had to seek the permission from the Apex Court to visit his home State, where majority of the mainstream political leaders have been placed under detention or house arrest since the scrapping of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Meanwhile, in Jammu various delegations including traders, transporters and border residents met Azad who reached here today on the second-leg of his six-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir.
Azad met a number of delegations and discussed the difficulties faced by the people due to the current situation after the scrapping of special status to the state and its bifurcation into two Union Territories, a Cong spokesman said.
“Soon after his arrival in Jammu around 1.45 pm, Azad started meeting with people who called on him in the shape of delegations at his Gandhi Nagar residence. They apprised him of the problems being faced by them, especially in the wake of restrictions and the situation that emerged in the state after August 5,” the spokesman said.
He said the delegations which met Azad include traders, transporters, taxi unions, drivers, border residents of RS Pura, Samba, Hiranagar, Chhamb and Rajouri, Kishtwar and Ramban, University students, Christian community, OBCs, SCs, STs, farmers, Lubana Sikh community besides several other social and religious groups.
“Majority of them apprised Azad of the economic difficulties due to worst affected business,” the spokesman said, adding that the traders highlighted that the tourism activities in the State have been affected.
The resident of border areas expressed their difficulties due to spurt in tension on the borders following frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan, he said.
The university students took up their issue regarding insecurity of jobs and internet shut down, he added.
Azad also visited hospitals, traders of Raghunath Bazar, Purani Mandi, Residency Road and other areas of the City to know about the difficulties people are facing in the prevailing situation in the State. The traders referred to the ‘severe slump’ in business during last 50 days,” the spokesman said.
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