Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 10: Dropping enough hint of supporting continuation of Art 35-A in Jammu and Kashmir, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today said that Congress never wanted any wedge between the regions and is always committed for the unity, peace and prosperity of all the three regions of the State.
Dr Singh, who is heading a high level Congress Policy and Planning Group on Jammu and Kashmir affairs told the media-persons at an informal chat here this evening that Congress delegation was infact, here to discuss Art 35–A and take feed back and opinion from the people from various sections of society and discuss other issues as well which they are facing for the past quite some time.
“ We have listened to various delegations today and will analyse their divergent views and opinions projected in different perspective and will certainly take up the same at the appropriate forum. We will also visit Kashmir and listen to the people from cross section of society there and project the same at appropriate level. The purpose is to facilitate a dialogue process and seek public opinion and make a way for peace and prosperity in the State involving all stake holders,” Dr Singh maintained.
Responding to a query regarding divergent stand of State Congress leaders in Kashmir region and those from Jammu region on Art 35-A, thus creating confusion and a wedge as stand on this Article is different in Kashmir and opposite to it in Jammu region, Dr Singh said Congress has always supported unity, peace and prosperity of all the three regions of the State. “It never promoted the cause which weakens bond among three regions. Congress wants a stronger J&K. That is debatable issue but Congress has clear stand as it is always in favour of unity, peace and prosperity of all the regions and equal treatment with all”, he added.
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Amidst criticism from the media persons, regarding weak role of State Congress leadership to project vital issues of public interest, the former Prime Minister admitted that there was lot of scope of improvement in this context and the local leadership needed to play more vibrant role in coming days in the State.
AICC general secretary, Ambika Soni while supporting the remarks of Dr Manmohan Singh said, “ We must admit the fact with honesty and try to look into the suggestions projected by media fraternity and take corrective steps. She also referred to the situation emerging in the State during recent past and maintained that people of the State are observing the situation minutely. She said many delegations raised the issues of poor development, discrimination with Jammu region, GST etc but 35-A was touched by most of the delegations and their views were given due attention.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad while referring to demonetization issue said, “ when we were opposing and speaking on the issue no body was taking it seriously, now when all others have started ‘feeling heat’ after over 99% old currency came back from circulation, the people started asking questions from this Government. “We want that people should ask for the reply from the present regime. Even on haste implementation of GST, strong public reaction is pouring from various quarters. They have to reply to the people”, he added.
On the issue of discrimination with Jammu, poor response of BJP leaders from Jammu region and non-performance, he said the people have started realizing it very shortly. They have elected their representatives and they owe a reply to the public. He also referred to bias media reporting by some selective national channels and regretted that some of the media-houses have been controlled by this Government and the opposition is getting very little and negligible coverage.
But such was not the case during UPA Govt and rather it was opposite.
PCC president, G A Mir while opposing the criticism of media for poor opposition and non-projection of public issues, maintained that Congress party had been projecting various issues forcibly in Assembly and outside and on demonetization and Art-35 also a campaign had been launched. A large number of protests were held by Youth Congress and Mahila wing on various issues, he added.
Meanwhile, the Congress delegation comprising of Dr Singh, senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni besides representatives of party from Kashmir PCC chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Tariq Hameed Karra, Sham Lal Sharma (sr vice president) from Jammu and Rigzin Jora from Ladakh met various delegations and members of civil society from Jammu region and sought their view point on various issues. The delegations also submitted memoranda to the visiting Congress Group.
Nearly, 20 delegations representing cross-section of the society met with the Congress Policy and Planning Group on J&K, that arrived here today on a maiden two-day visit.
The former PM arrived nearly an hour after Chidambaram, Azad and Soni drove to the Convention Centre here around noon and immediately chaired the executive meeting of the party leaders, including MLAs and MLCs.
“The panel acquainted themselves with the broader party view on the overall security and political situation in the State,” chief spokesperson of State Congress Ravinder Sharma said.
Sharma said the party leaders highlighted the deteriorating security situation and sought political engagement to address the issues confronting the State for restoration of peace and normalcy in the State.
The group was set up by the Congress in April this year after the situation worsened in the Valley due to widespread violence by protesters following the death of eight persons in firing by security forces during by-polls to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
After the hour-long meeting with the State party leadership, the spokesperson said, nearly 20 delegations representing various opposition political parties and cross- section of the society briefed the panel, highlighting regional aspirations, alleged discrimination and failure of the State Government on all fronts.
Several delegations also expressed their views about Article 35A and Article 370 of the Constitution, which give special status to J&K State.
While the National Conference, the CPI(M) and some other delegations favoured continuation of the constitutional provisions, some others sought the support of the party in abrogation of the provisions and immediate deportation of illegally-settled foreign nationals, including Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.
The NC’s provincial president, Devender Singh Rana, who led the party delegation in the meeting, said J-K is going through a crucial phase and it is the responsibility of everyone to come forward and join hands to restore peace and normalcy.
“We told the Congress leadership that National Conference is for the betterment of the people of the State and is desirous of peace and prosperity in the State,” he told media-persons after the meeting.
Suggesting the Congress to take a stand on J-K being largest opposition party at the Centre, Rana said the onus lies with the present leadership of the party to emerge and cooperate, coordinate and implement together an agenda at the national level by developing a consensus to ensure that normalcy is restored in the State.
He also termed as “unfortunate” the “failure” of the previous UPA Government to implement the recommendations of the Working Groups on Kashmir and the interlocutors’ report and said the party should extend its support to the ruling NDA at the Centre to work out a solution to the Kashmir imbroglio.
Rana said the NC would go all out to preserve Article 35A of the Constitution as it is of paramount importance for the people of the State.
Regional Secretary of State unit of CPI(M) Sham Prasad Kesar also favoured continuation of the Article 35A and Article 370 of the Constitution and said any tinkering with the provisions will have disastrous consequences in the already deteriorated situation in the state.
“The Congress panel has basically come to seek a solution to the prevailing situation in the state. We suggested dialogue on internal and external fronts to resolve the Kashmir issue instead of using military power,” he said.
Prasad said he favoured dialogue with all stakeholders, especially separatists, in the State and Pakistan as well.
The Jammu Bar Association, led by president B S Slathia, submitted a five-page memorandum to the Congress panel, demanding among other things abrogation of the Article 35A.
“Article 35A is against the very spirit of the Indian constitution of 1950 and the preamble of J-K Constitution of 1957. It deprives all the Indians living outside the State of their right to exercise any right in the State, thus creating a situation in which they are considered a persona non grata in Jammu and Kashmir,” the memorandum said.
It also raised the issue of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in Jammu and Samba districts and claimed their presence tantamount to demographic change in the region and advocated for their early deportation.
President of Dogri Sanstha, Jammu, Chhatrapal alleged that the people of Jammu have always received “raw treatment” by both State and Central Governments and have been taken for granted.
“The Dogri language, which is our identity, must get its due at par with Kashmiri as both the languages enjoy equal status in the Constitution of the country and the State,” he said.
A Kashmiri migrants delegation raised the issue of their dignified return to Kashmir valley.
The panel would visit Kashmir valley on September 16 and 17 and the Ladakh region on a later date.
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