Won’t accept cabinet berth until J&K statehood restored, says Congress’ Tariq Hameed Karra

Congress state president Tariq Hameed Karra, however, cornered the NC over the recent power tariff hike of 6.83%,

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Thursday spurned the offer of the National Conference (NC) to join the council of ministers. Addressing mediapersons during a workers’ conclave in Reasi, party’s J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra said, “There is no doubt that the NC is interested in including Congress in the council of ministers. However, Congress has, for the past two years, adopted a principled stand. Until the Centre restores the rights of 1.40 crore people of J&K that were taken away unilaterally, undemocratically and unconstitutionally, we won’t be part of the cabinet.” He was referring to the abrogation of Article 370 seven years ago, which turned J&K into a union territory.

National Conference’s J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra

Earlier in the day, J&K deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary said Congress, being an alliance partner, has every right to join the Omar Abdullah-led government and expressed hope that it would soon take a decision in this regard.

Karra said, “Though we are part of the NC government, we will not accept a cabinet berth. Since several speculations were doing the rounds, we thought to put them to rest.”

Karra opposes power tariff hike

Karra, however, cornered the NC over the recent power tariff hike of 6.83%, saying, “The BJP has no right to raise questions because the government in J&K is de facto being run by them. Ask them what they did when they were running a double-engine government in J&K. We are part of the NC government, but it doesn’t mean that Congress will stop raising the issues of the people.”