Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, July 19: In a rare decision in history of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Disciplinary Committee of the party headed by former Defence Minister AK Antony, has suspended from primary membership three former Ministers and veteran party leaders in the State for indulging in anti-party activities.
The suspended leaders were Gulchain Singh Charak, Abdul Gani Vakil and Prem Sagar Aziz, all of whom were Ministers in PDP-Congress coalition Government for different periods between 2002 to 2008. Charak had also served as AICC (I) Incharge for two major States of Punjab and Bihar.
Highly placed sources in the Congress told the Excelsior that the Central Disciplinary Committee of the Congress headed by Antony and comprising Ghulam Nabi Azad and Moti Lal Vora had ordered suspension of the three leaders of J&K from primary membership of the party on July 15 after taking into account the relevant material placed before the Committee by the State Disciplinary Action Committee headed by P Namgayal, former Union Minister.
The Committee conveyed its decision to AICC (I) general secretary Ambika Soni, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, last evening. Soni later conveyed the decision to PCC (I) chief GA Mir. All three suspended leaders have also been conveyed the decision though they feigned ignorance.
Sources said the Central Disciplinary Committee’s decision assumed significance as the Panel comprised Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, as all three suspended leaders owed their allegiance to him.
Charak was Works Minister and Vakil Social Welfare Minister while Aziz was the Minister of State during Azad regime in Jammu and Kashmir from 2005-2008. Prior to joining the Ministry, Aziz was also chief whip of the party in the Legislative Assembly. All three leaders had also served as the AICC (I) members earlier.
PCC (I) chief GA Mir told the Excelsior that the Central Disciplinary Committee took the decision to suspend three senior party leaders after the State Disciplinary Committee provided the Central Panel with enough material of their involvement in anti-party activities. He said the Committee took cognizance of material provided to it by the State Committee.
The State Disciplinary Committee headed by P Namgayal had served show cause notices to all three party leaders on May 30. However, they had not responded to the show cause notices. Other members of the State Committee included Taj Mohi-ud-Din, RS Chib, Khem Lata Wakhloo, GN Mir Lasjan, Tara Chand and Mohammad Sharief Niaz. The last two hadn’t attended the meeting then.
Meanwhile, former Minister and suspended Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil today claimed that he has resigned from the Congress and levelled serious allegations against PCC (I) chief GA Mir describing him as “junior most and leader of doubtful credentials” and said that he had sent his resignation letter to AICC (I) president Sonia Gandhi on July 13. He also released copy of the resignation letter to the media today.
Vakil, who was considered to be staunch loyalist of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, described appointment of GA Mir by the part high command as “arbitrary, undemocratic and unfortunate” saying this unilateral decision has risked the party’s future in the State as multi-pronged challenges posed by new political dimensions have already jolted the Congress.
Vakil said that despite holding parleys with senior leaders after recognizing the dissent and reservation in respect of the new PCC (I) chief, Congress high Command made commitments and held out assurances to him and other senior leaders for reconsidering the appointment of Mir.
“But for the reasons best known to Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi neither the commitments nor the assurances were respected despite the lapse of more than five months,” he regretted.
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