Azad sent back to Delhi from Jammu Airport
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 20: Former J&K Chief Minister and senior All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad was not allowed to enter Jammu by the State Administration and was sent back to Delhi from Jammu Airport this afternoon.
Even the senior Pradesh Congress leaders including former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, former MP Madan Lal Sharma, several former Congress Ministers, legislators and heads of frontal organizations of the party, who had gone to the Jammu Airport to receive Azad were refused entry by the security agencies deployed there.
Official sources said that Azad landed at Jammu Airport from Delhi at around 2.45 pm. As he entered terminal complex, SP Airport Security, SSP Jammu and Deputy Commissioner Jammu, went to him and told that they have instructions not to allow him to move out of this complex. They suggested him to go back to Delhi. He was taken to the VIP Lounge at the Airport and after being detained there for about one and half hours, was sent back to Delhi in last flight of Go Air at 4.10 pm. Click here to watch video
Meanwhile, the Congress leaders from Jammu had exchange of heated arguments with the security agencies staff at the main gate of the Airport because they were not allowed to go inside the Airport and meet Azad. After their struggle for about half an hour, they were also made to return from the Entry Gate of the Airport.
After reaching Delhi, Mr Azad while speaking to the media-persons said that after reaching Jammu Airport at 2.45 pm, he was received by senior civil and police officers and was conveyed, “You will not be allowed to come out of the Airport terminal building as per the instructions from the top.”
They requested me to go back to Delhi in the next flight. “I waited there up to the last flight and ultimately, I decided to return to Delhi in Go Air flight at a 4.10 pm,” Azad said.
“Earlier, I tried to go to Kashmir on August 8, but was not allowed and having waited at Srinagar Airport for four hours, I was sent back to Delhi. Now, 12 days later today, I was again sent back from Jammu airport. The question arises, can I ever go to my State of which I am a Member of Parliament and have been once a Chief Minister? Are these the signs of democracy and normalcy which Govt is claiming”? Azad asked.
He regretted, ” Such developments are not good for democracy. If the mainstream political parties won’t visit, then who will go there? Three former Chief Ministers of J&K are already under house -arrest and one former CM of J&K is not being allowed to enter the State. It is a sign of intolerance.”
Meanwhile, JKPCC has reacted strongly to the action of the Government to detain Azad at Jammu airport. It said Azad was not allowed to meet any party leader and general public and was forcibly sent back to Delhi from airport in the afternoon.
In a statement, PCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma termed it as most unfortunate and arbitrary action that Azad who is former Chief Minister and Member Rajya Sabha from J&K besides Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, has not been allowed to come out of the airport in Jammu today.
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