Take J&K Govt along to defeat terrorism, Congress urges Centre

Expressing concern over the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 12 persons, including two soldiers, over the past one week, J&K Congress has urged the Centre to take along the newly-elected National Conference government to defeat terrorism in the Union Territory.

The Congress also slammed the BJP for the “delay” in granting statehood to the region, threatening to launch an agitation if the demand was not met at the earliest.

Paying tributes to the last Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, for the accession of J&K with the Union of India on October 26, 1947, the Congress said the real homage to him would be restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir immediately. The party also recalled the sacrifices made by Brigadier Rajinder Singh and others who repulsed the attacks by Pakistani raiders 77 years back.

“Despite its repeated commitments, the Central government is taking time to restore statehood to J&K. The Congress will intensify its struggle and adopt an agitational mode if the demand is not fulfilled at the earliest,” Congress leaders led by its working president Raman Bhalla said in a statement on Saturday.

They also accused the BJP of insulting the Dogra rulers by reducing the erstwhile state into a UT more than five years back.

Earlier talking to reporters, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice president Ravinder Sharma said the government should adopt a holistic approach to deal with militancy, and the Centre should take on board the elected government to effectively counter and defeat terrorism.

“Terrorists have adopted an approach of selective targeted attacks for the past quite some time,” Sharma said, adding that a more effective counter-insurgency strategy should be evolved to deal with the challenges.

Sharma also said the Congress is regularly introspecting the party’s poor show in the recent Assembly elections in J&K, taking feedback from the party workers and the general public.

“An important aspect of the feedback from the ground is the failure of the local administration in checking the distribution of ration, liquor and money by the rival party,” Sharma said, adding that it will identify all the reasons behind the loss of the Congress candidates constituency wise.

Meanwhile, JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday visited the residence of Shashi Abrol, one of the seven victims of the terror attack on a campsite of workers engaged in a tunnel project in Ganderbal district last week.

Accompanied by party leaders, Karra expressed his condolences to the bereaved family for their loss.