Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 2: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president, Tariq Hameed Karra, said today that the National Conference-Congress alliance is open to collaborating with like-minded parties and individuals for Government formation in Jammu and Kashmir to prevent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from gaining power.
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Speaking at an event in Srinagar commemorating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Karra emphasized that the alliance’s doors remain open for like-minded parties and individuals if the need arises. “If the election results show that people have voted for the alliance or to prevent the BJP from gaining power, we welcome that. If the need arises, we are open to talks with like-minded parties or individuals after consulting with our alliance partner,” he said.
He added that the Lieutenant Governor’s nomination of five MLAs to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was not in the people’s best interest but part of a “nefarious design.”
Karra sharply criticized Independent candidates, calling them “spoilers” who are part of the BJP’s strategy to fragment votes in Kashmir. He claimed that the BJP, or Central Government, after seeing their political experiments fail in the region, resorted to fielding Independent candidates to manipulate the vote in their favor.
“In Jammu, I saw very few or no Independent candidates, while in Kashmir, the numbers are significant. This clearly shows the BJP’s motive, which is to weaken strong candidates in Kashmir by dividing the vote, a tactic not used in Jammu,” he said.
He further accused the BJP of attempting to disempower Kashmiris through this strategy, likening it to historical betrayals. “The aim is to bring forward figures like Mir Qasim and Mir Jaffar in Kashmir, who would aid their nefarious designs,” Karra added.
When asked about the detention of Ladakhi activist Sonam Wangchuk, Karra condemned the action as part of a broader BJP strategy to suppress dissent. “The BJP has created an environment where every right-thinking person, regardless of religion or ideology, is silenced if they oppose their line. The current Government has made jails a tool to suppress these voices,” he said.
Karra also took aim at the BJP’s portrayal of peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it is based on fear and repression, not genuine stability. “They glorify peace, but this is peace driven by fear. In the past, people protested for basic needs like water and electricity and had their concerns addressed. Now, when they protest, as seen in the Barathna area in my constituency, they face FIRs. Students protesting over unfair results are booked under draconian laws like UAPA or PSA. This silence they glorify is not peace, but suppression under jackboot policies,” he said.
He urged the like-minded individuals and parties to unite against the BJP’s “repressive and anti-people” policies without explicitly naming any specific figures or groups.
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