Srinagar, May 22 : Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra on Friday described the internal criticism over the party’s alliance with the National Conference (NC) as a “frustrated rant” by those who have lost their positions, asserting that the decision was taken in the larger interest of the India Bloc and with the authority of the central leadership.
“It is far from reality that this is a wrong alliance. Most party leaders initially gave their opinion against it, but later empowered the central leadership to take the final decision. To question it now is to demean the decision of the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi ji,” Karra told news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS).
He recalled that senior leaders K C Venugopal, Mallikarjun Kharge and he himself had met NC president Dr. Farooq Abdullah to finalise the pre-poll pact. He said the public has acknowledged that if not for the intervention of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, the results could have been different for both parties.
On the demand for disciplinary action against those speaking publicly against the alliance, Congress JK chief said, “Not yet. If any initiative is taken, you will come to know.”
JKPCC chief also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister of not understanding economics. “Rahul Gandhi ji had already indicated an economic depression. It is unfortunate that those handling the country’s affairs think they are running a small state or a municipality. Running a country is a big deal,” he said.
On the recent demolition drive in Jammu, Karra demanded rehabilitation and compensation for affected families, questioning, “If the forest minister himself said it was not forest land, then who ordered the demolition? Under whose orders did the police reach?” He insisted on due procedure, including proper notices, and said the people of J&K are being “crushed between two administrations.” (KNS)
