MANMOHAN IN J&K, MEETS 20 DELEGATIONS
TWODAY VISIT The group which plans to visit Kashmir and Ladakh wants to see the impact of Article 35A in three regions of state
JAMMU: Nearly five months since its formation, the policy and planning group of the Congress on Jammu and Kashmir, headed by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, on Sunday held closeddoor discussions with the leaders of the Congress and other oppositions parties. Nearly 20 delegations representing cross-section of the society also met with the group, which included former Union ministers P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni. ››
JAMMU:: The Congress’ policy and planning group led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that reached Jammu on Sunday afternoon on a two-day visit, pondered on how to go about“contentious” Article 35- A vis-a-vis three regions -- Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh -- of the state.
The group was set up by Congress in April 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.
Nearly 20 delegations representing cross-section of the society met with the group, which included former Union ministers P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni.
State Congress unit president GA Mir, former MP Tariq Hameed Karra and former minister Nawang Rigzin Jora are also members of the group. The former PM arrived nearly an hour after Chidambaram, Azad and So ni drove to the convention centre here and immediately chaired the executive meeting of the party leaders, including MLAsandMLCs.
“The panel acquainted themselves with the broader party view on the overall security and political situation in the state,” said Ravinder Sharma, chief spokesperson of state Congress.
The group heard various delegations through Sunday and held deliberations with party leaders. It tried to elicit views of the civil society on all the issues, including Article 35-A, confronting the state.
Congress has so far maintained a Kashmir-centric stance over Article 35-A and special status of Jammu and Kashmir in a striking contrast to opinions of the people in Jam mu and Lad akh regions.
The group which plans to visit
Rajnath Singh has come here on a fourday visit but it is going to make no impact. GHULAM N AZAD, Congress leader
Kashmir and Lad akh in the days to come wants to see what impact Article 35-A had in three regions and how it affects the unity of the state. The group also stressed upon state Congress to adopt a proactive approach and reach out to the people by vehemently taking up their issues.
Later this evening, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that PDP-BJP combine has brought back the situation in the state akin to early 1990s when militancy was at its peak. He said the group has come to assess the ground situation and to see what the ruling coalition had achieved and what it lost in nearly three years.
“The group shall be visiting all the three regions. Militancy was at its lowest ebb but since PDPB JP government took over three years back, the militancy has peaked,”he said.
“After Congress’ announcement, the man who didn’t even have four hours for the state, has come here on a four-day visit but it is going to make no impact,” he said.