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J&K Congress issues show-cause notice to two leaders for meeting envoys
The party has issued the notice to former legislator and district president, Baramulla, Shoiab Lone, and president of municipal council Anantnag, Hilal Ahmad Shah
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Congress has issued a show-cause notice to two senior party leaders for meeting foreign envoys.
The party has issued the notice to former legislator and district president, Baramulla, Shoiab Lone, and president of municipal council Anantnag, Hilal Ahmad Shah. Earlier, the party had issued similar notice to its senior leader and former minister, Usman Majeed, for meeting delegation of European Union (EU) parliamentarians in October.
J&K Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said, “We have asked them to explain their position. Why did they go meet the envoys when nobody from the party was invited.’’
Mir said the party was not against meeting envoys but the way two leaders acted needs explanation. “Had we been invited, our party would have sent a high-level delegation. The action will be taken against them once both of them clear their stand.’’
On the explanation sought from Usman Majeed, Congress president said that he had already submitted his explanation to the party. “Since Usman Majeed is an AICC member and former minister, the party high command will take any action only after taking his explanation. In case of these two leaders, the disciplinary committee would take the decision on their future.’’
Former legislator from Sangrama, Shoaib Lone, said he met the delegation in his personnel capacity and will explain his position to the party leadership. “I became legislator as an independent candidate and later joined the Congress.’’ Lone, however, didn’t clarify whether he is contemplating to join new political front which is shaping up in Kashmir.
In the backdrop of Congress leaders meeting envoys along with expelled PDP leader Altaf Bukhari, many Congress leaders feel that some of the party leaders are contemplating to join the new front. “Some of our leaders are in touch with Altaf Bukhari, the party needs to be cautious,’’ said a Congress leader.
Hours after meeting the foreign envoys, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expelled eight leaders for going against the party.
Expelled leaders included party general secretary and former legislator, Dilawar Mir, PDP chief spokesman and former legislator Rafi Ahmad Mir, former legislators – Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Qamar Hussain, Raja Manzoor, Javeed baig, Abdul Majeed Padder and Abdul Rahim Rather.
These leaders had earlier met J&K governor G C Marmu in Jammu and handed him a memorandum.
Envoys briefed about Kashmir, people’s aspiration: J&K politicians
Srinagar: J&K politicians who met foreign envoys said the diplomats were fully briefed about the situation in Kashmir and people’s aspiration.
Beside US ambassador Kenneth Juster, the diplomats from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Norway, Maldives, Morocco, South Korea, Philippines, Nigeria, Argentine, Fiji, Peru, Niger, Guyana and Togo were part of the delegation.
The envoys had an-hour-long meeting with Kashmiri politicians, all of them former legislators mostly belonging to the PDP. The group of legislators was led by former minister Altaf Bukhari. “We conveyed them everything about Kashmir, including ground situation and how land rights, job reservation and statehood, are important for the people here,’’ Bukhari said.
Rafi Ahmad Mir, one of the expelled PDP leaders, told HT that the envoys were briefed by the government and security forces about their perspective and views before they met Kashmiri politicians. “We told them everything how Kashmir suffered in the last five months and also about internet ban and other problems. We conveyed them that there is a need of a new political alternative.’’
Mir said that former legislators and ministers told the envoys what a common people thinks of revocation of article 370. “If they (envoys) would have stopped in any market, common people would have conveyed similar message to them. We did that in a dignified manner,’’ he said, adding that they also highlighted the issues of jailed leaders, including three former chief ministers—Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Another former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, who heads Democratic Political Party, said the envoys wanted to learn situation from them. “We told them that after J&K was degraded into an UT, the Centre had promised to bring development projects here, however, there is no sign of them. We also told them about internet restoration and revival of tourism sector and release of detained persons.’’
Shoaib Lone said they have demanded restoration of internet, release of jailed leaders and asked the envoys to play a positive role for ending hostilities between India and Pakistan.