Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 7: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, said today that there was no need for the State leadership including Congress to fall in trap (of the BJP) by shifting focus from development works to debate on Article 370 of the Constitution of India that grants special status to the State.
Mr Azad dispelled rumours floated by some vested interests that he would be contesting upcoming 2014 Parliamentary elections from Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat. He said the Congress would repeat its sitting MP from the Lok Sabha constituency.
Addressing a public meeting at Ram Lila Grounds in Kathua after paying tributes to martyrs, the Union Minister during his one day visit to the region, without referring to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah or senior Congress leaders, said: “the senior leaders, who were reacting daily to the statement (of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi) on Article 370 were giving the BJP leader undue publicity.
“They (Mr Modi and other BJP leaders) are addressing their constituency. They have no other work but to raise emotive issues at the time of elections. But the leaders, who were equally responding, are giving publicity to the BJP leader. The State leadership including that of Congress should focus on development instead of engaging in debate on Article 370’’.
He said: “a BJP leader came to Jammu and raked up the issue of Article 370, which they had been doing for years together. But some of the State leadership also started responding giving the BJP leader more publicity. The leadership should do their work of development instead of indulging in the debate’’.
Mr Azad said Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed special status while being integral part of India, who no party can snatch. “We should focus on development,’’ he added.
Worthwhile to mention here that BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had during his massive December 1 rally here called for debate on merits and demerits of Article 370. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and several prominent leaders of NC and Congress including PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz had challenged Modi for debate on Article 370 after his statement.
He declared that the Congress would seek votes in Parliament and Assembly elections in the State next year on development plank and not emotive issues like Article 370.
In a significant announcement, Mr Azad dispelled the rumours being spread by some vested interests including Congress leaders that he would be contesting Lok Sabha election from Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary constituency.
“I won’t contest the elections. Some political leaders were misleading the people by spreading rumours. We will repeat our candidate from Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat,’’ he said.
Some leaders of the rival faction of Mr Azad had been floating rumours that he would be the Congress candidate for Lok Sabha seat from Udhampur-Doda constituency. The Congress high command has, however, decided to utilise the services of Mr Azad throughout the country during Lok Sabha elections.
Charging Pakistan with having exploited the youth with “religious and azaadi slogans’’, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said security forces have done commendable job in restoring peace and normalcy.
Mr Azad said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power on earth can separate it.
“There is a special place in the Constitution of India. It is known to our neighbouring countries as well as the people of the State and others States of the country,” he said.
Without naming Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Mr Azad said that people outside the country were also talking just for the sake of giving statements and keeping people happy.
“We should not react to them. We should work for strengthening of our country,” he said.
Mr Azad said it was unfortunate that Pakistan was attacking us and killing poor and unarmed people.
“They (Pakistan) have also mislead people of Kashmir, some of whom advocate ‘azadi’ (freedom) and some militancy,” he said, adding that it has only resulted in the killing of civilians and soldiers.
“It is our duty to remember and give honour to the martyrs besides carrying forward their mission and boosting spirit of nationalism among the people,” the Union Minister said.
Saluting the martyrs, he said it was Jammu and Kashmir, whose people have sacrificed maximum lives for the nation than any other part of the country.
“Our brave soldiers have been protecting and guarding the boundaries. A number of them have attained martyrdom while protecting the borders. Jammu and Kashmir always topped the list of martyrs,’’ he said.
Referring to PDP-Congress coalition Government in 2002, Mr Azad said first PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed during his three years tenure and then he himself for about two and half years of governance had initiated a number of development works in the State. “Now, our partner—the National Conference has initiated the works. In 2002, the two parties had shared Government for three years each but now we have given all six years to the NC for carrying out development,’’ he added.
Mr Azad, who had launched Roshni scheme during his tenure as the Chief Minister, said he has been receiving complaints of irregularities in implementation of the scheme. He directed Minister for Revenue Aijaz Ahmad Khan, who was also present in the rally, to look into the irregularities.
Mr Azad announced Rs 240 crore for better health facilities in the State.
“We want to see Jammu and Kashmir a developed State and Government is keen in providing better health facilities to the people of the State,” Mr Azad said.
The Union Minister, however, announced Rs 90 crore (Rs 45 crore each) for Cancer Centers in Jammu and Kashmir regions and also announced Rs 150 crore under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scheme.
Mr Azad said special focus would also be laid to provide health facilities to the Gujjars and Bakerwals and mobile centres would also be introduced in the remote belts of hilly regions for the community so that they get treated in a better way when they shift to plains in peak winters.
He said the Government of India is extending liberal funding to Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen the health, education and R&B infrastructure and address primary needs of development of the people.
He said that Union Health Ministry has launched several health schemes especially for women and newborn child. He appealed to Panchs, Sarpanchs and elected representatives to create awareness about health and family welfare schemes like “Janani and Jacha Bacha’’ scheme to avail free medicare facilities for neo natal, new born and pregnant women during pre and post pregnancy period.
Mr Azad said the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare has formulated a scheme to provide free medical checkups twice a year for every child up to 18 years of age in which the Union Health Ministry will incur all the expenditure on treatment. He said that mobile medical facilities would be provided to the nomads of the State very shortly.
During the function blankets were given to the 107 families of martyrs.
Mr Azad also paid floral tribute to martyrs at Shaheedi Samarak at Shaheedi Chowk, Kathua.
He extended sympathies with the families of the martyrs present on the occasion.
Minister for Co-operatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Minister for Health, Shabir Ahmad Khan, Minister for Revenue Aijaz Ahmad Khan, Naresh Gupta, Subash Gupta and Sham Bhagat, MLCs and other senior leaders of Congress also attended the public meeting.
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