Mir, Karra brief AICC leaders over J&K scenario
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 18: Expressing serious concern over the spurt in target killings of minorities in Kashmir and increasing loss of Army men in Pir Panjal belt of Rajouri and Poonch, All India Congress Committee vice president, Rahul Gandhi, former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and senior AICC leader In-charge J&K Affairs Rajni Patil (MP) today asked the Union Government and J&K Administration to act swiftly and prevent 1990 like situation emerging in Kashmir.
Rahul Gandhi while reviewing the current security situation in J&K during meeting with PCC chief G A Mir, Congress Working Committee Member from Kashmir Tariq Hamid Karra and Rajni Patil (I/C J&K Affairs of the party) in New Delhi today, urged the Union Government to revamp security in Kashmir and protect minorities. Gandhi said there was fear looming large among the minorities and they have been forced to flee Kashmir valley, a senior party leader informed Excelsior.
“AIICC leader expressed serious concern over the killings of non-local vendors and teachers from minority community and alleged that Government has virtually failed to protect minorities in Kashmir. The situation is deteriorating fast and the J&K Administration has been caught napping. There is urgent need to create sense of security among the minorities in Kashmir and step up Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) among the people fleeing Kashmir,” Gandhi told during meeting.
“Rahul Gandhi at the same time was concerned over the loss of lives of Indian troops in Rajouri-Poonch belt of Jammu region and surprised over increasing incidents of militants’ attacks in south of Pir Panjal, which he termed as the matter of equal concern. Rahul described it as matter of intelligence failure or lack of coordination among the troops. He stressed the need to plug the gaps along borders and stepping up vigil all along the Line of Control to prevent such attacks, the sources in party added.
AICC Incharge J&K affairs Rajni Patil, JKPCC chief GA Mir and CWC Member Tariq Karra extensively briefed Gandhi over the current security situation in J&K during an hour long meeting in Delhi and sought intervention of top AICC leadership to take up the issue with the Home Minister, Defence Minister and the Prime Minister Modi. They said that situation was turning volatile and fast returning to what was prevailing during early 1990s. They said the minorities were panic-stricken and have started leaving Kashmir. The BJP Government must ensure sense of security among them and prevent such a situation emerging fast, they pleaded.
The meeting lasted for more than an hour, in which leaders debated and discussed the current security situation in J&K, besides civilians’ killings and attacks on non-local labourers came under discussion, the party sources said.
The leaders expressed serious concern over deteriorating security situation in J&K and said Congress party feels highly concerned about the safety of people while blaming the Centre Government for failing to ensure safety of people.
“The loss of civilians is a matter of serious concern,’ leaders added and urged the Central Government to take immediate effective measures to ensure safety of citizens.
Many other issues of public importance, including that of Delimitation process and proposed Assembly elections also came under discussion during the meeting. The leaders claimed that the Delimitation process was going on at snail’s pace and there was no transparency. “The public issues appears to be no priority of the J&K Administration. The general public was suffering as their issues have remained unattended. There was wide gap between the general public and Administration. Under such circumstances, there was urgent need of the installation of a popular Government in J&K,” they pleaded.
Meanwhile, dozens of deputations today met the top AICC leader and former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who arrived Srinagar on the directions of the party leadership to take assessment of the ground situation.
Party sources said that Azad held series of meetings with the public representatives, party functionaries, traders and members of the civil society over the recent unfortunate developments in Kashmir. Azad also had meetings with the top functionaries in the J&K Administration and suggested to take some Confidence Building Measures among the minorities and prevent emerging situation.
Azad, who is in Srinagar on a two- day visit took over all assessment of the situation from the party cadre and civil society besides other delegations. He asked the party cadre as well to reach out to the people and establish close contact with them and project their issues. Azad will return to the Union capital tomorrow and may brief the party president over the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the party sources added.
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