NC-Cong alliance in J-K reflective of people’s desire to fight divisive policies of BJP: Karra

Rajouri/Jammu, Sep 17: Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra on Tuesday said the pre-poll alliance with National Conference for the assembly polls is reflective of people’s desire to fight the BJP's "divisive policies" and "dangerous designs".

Karra made the remarks amid criticism by the BJP over the Congress joining hands with the NC for the assembly polls.

Karra, an ex-minister, termed BJP’s claim of forming the next government in J&K as "jumla" (rhetoric) and accused it of taking out the "funeral of democracy" by fielding proxy candidates in the valley knowing fully that the party cannot win the elections there on its own name.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to Thanamandi assembly segment in Rajouri district, the former Lok Sabha MP said the BJP is feeling pain over the NC-Congress alliance which was formed as per the desire of the people.

“Every party fights elections on their own manifesto. Even in a coalition, where the partners' manifestos are not similar, the parties go to the people with their own agenda. They (BJP) are feeling pain because of the NC manifesto.

“Why did they not feel the same pain when they were together (in 2001-02)? At that time the National Conference was good but today it is bad because the party has aligned with the Congress to fight them,” the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president said.

Defending the alliance, he said, “It is for a bigger purpose rather than about seat sharing or forming the government...it is not an alliance of leaders (of two parties) but of people’s alliance. The people wanted the like minded parties to come together to fight the divisive policies and dangerous designs of the BJP for the country and Jammu and Kashmir.”

He said the Congress is saying it repeatedly, whether in Jammu or Kashmir, that this election is not meant for “lanes, drains, irrigation or power supply but this election is a fight for our identity, maintaining communal harmony among Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, restoration of our constitutional rights which were snatched from us”.

“This election is meant to avoid further harm (to J&K) and everyone, whichever party he belongs to, should fulfil his responsibility. This is an opportunity where people should understand that if we falter this time, it will have serious consequences for the next 50 years to 100 years,” Karra said.

He said there are no cracks in the alliance over the recent remarks of former PCC president and party candidate from Banihal Vikar Rasool Wani against NC leadership.

“He (Wani) had made some remarks in his individual capacity and the party has immediately taken serious note of it, served him notice and asked him to desist from speaking against NC president Farooq Abdullah...as president of the party, we regretted his statement and disassociated with it,” Karra said.

On BJP's statement that it will form its own government after the assembly polls, he said it is another "jumla" of the party like many others.

"They (BJP) are saying they will form the government with the support of 10 independents who are going to win in Kashmir. This is unfortunate that the BJP is taking out the funeral of democracy.

"They are playing with democracy and I have called it ‘democratically orchestrated autocracy’. This is the self admission of the BJP that 'how we are running democracy in an undemocratic way',” Karra said.

He said the BJP is fully aware that they cannot win a single seat in Kashmir on the name of their party and therefore they have put up proxies. “This is their self-admission of defeat that they will come to power through independents. We have been saying it all along that they are fighting the elections through proxies.”

On Awami Ittehad party president and MP Engineer Rashid’s release from Tihar jail on interim bail for campaigning in support of his candidates, Karra said anyone can fight elections as per the Constitution.

“He was in jail and got bail is a matter linked to law. There are so many doctors and engineers in the fray so why only this engineer is being given focus...I think he is getting ‘out of proportion’ mileage,” the Congress leader said.

As J&K Congress chief, he said he can talk of his party and his line of action is based on positivity rather than negativity. “We have a pure mission and we will emerge successful to mitigate the problems and sufferings of the people. We will ensure an end to their suffocation so that they can speak without any fear.”

He said his visit to Thanamandi was to review election preparations with the party colleagues and NC functionaries ahead of the voting in the second phase on September 25 in the district.

Karra welcomed many DPAP leaders who returned to the Congress fold and also paid obeisance at the famous shrine of Sharda Sharief.