Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 23: JKPCC chief, GA Mir has said that Congress party is the only truly secular, democratic and progressive force which can keep Jammu and Kashmir on the path of peace, progress and harmony while the forces of hatred would create wedge in the society and the regions for vote bank politics.
Mir was addressing a function at Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu, in which he and other senior functionaries of the party formally admitted and welcomed the several prominent activists from BJP alongwith their supporters in to the Congress party fold.
Those present on the occasion were Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla (vice presidents), Ravinder Sharma- chief spokesperson, Rajnish Sharma Co-treasurer, Yogesh Sawhney, Manmohan Singh ( general secretaries), DCC president Jammu Rural, Hari Singh Chib, Sanjeev Sharma- secretary, Balbir Choudhary, Vinay Shastri and others.
Mir while welcoming them to the Congress party, extensively dealt with emerging political scenario in Jammu & Kashmir, where Congress Party is fast emerging as the only choice of people because of its progressive, democratic and secular policies. He said that secularism is the strength of Indian nation and only Congress can lead the erstwhile State and the nation to the path of peace, progress and prosperity by strengthening secular fabric and maintaining communal harmony, while asserting that the grand old party is a force to reckon and welcomed the joining of more and more important leaders from other political parties.
Stating that majority population of Jammu and Kashmir opted for the secular country-India defeating all advances of neighbouring ‘Islamic State’ and J&K is and shall always remain an integral part of India, Mir said there is no place for politics of exploitation as people of the erstwhile State appreciate and participate in the vibrant democracy of this great nation for a better future and good governance. However until the status of statehood with all consequential rights and the popular Government is restored people’s unrest will not end. People feel cheated, divided, deprived, downgraded with loss of dignity, status and genuine tights, which was never expected by them even in dream, he added.
Prominent among those who joined Congress included Gansham- Chairman Border Welfare and Kissan leader, Romesh Lal, Sanjeev Mathur, Dr Parmjeet Sharma Kathur and Manohar Lal Ex- Naib Sarpanch.