Senior Congress Leader and Opposition Leader & member of Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad held a series of public meetings at Thathri, Kahara, Bathri, Bhatyas, Mugalmaidan, Chatroo and Chingam area of Inderwal Constituency for expressing gratitude to the people of Inderwal for voting in his favour in a big way in the recently held Parliamentary election. Congress party has secured the 28,155 highest number of lead from Inderwal assembly segment in which Congress party got 39,351 votes, BJP got 11,196 votes and PDP got 1,871 votes out of 55,047 votes.
Azad was given rousing welcome by the people at all the places and an unexpected wave of enthusiasm in the people was seen to greet and meet the popular leader. Addressing the people, Azad said that in the recent elections pisive political forces have succeeded in swaying the minds of people, particularly youngsters, by polarizing the society on religious lines and that these experiments may help one to earn a few electoral victories but the damage to the social harmony can be too deep and lasting. Maintaining that J&K is known for its composite cultural heritage and exemplary religious harmony, Azad said that due to its inner resilience, our society has never yielded to the extremist ideology and that it has always bounced back after every aberration.
Azad said that he will never endorse the politics of opportunism and pision adding that Congress Party has always stood for the promotion of the cherished values of peace, harmony and mutual brotherhood in the society and this agenda of integrating and harmonizing the society will be pursued consistently.“Congress party has always been secular in its policy towards people. Unlike BJP, it doesn’t believe in piding people on religious lines. Our party stresses only on developmental issues which have greater importance for people,” he said.Criticizing the recent statements of NDA Government at the Centre asking the people to be ready for hard economic decisions, Azad said that the same BJP, prior to elections used to allure people by its tall claims of bringing down inflation overnight, and soon after coming to power, gave first dose of misery to the people of country by effecting a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, adding that this will have cascading effect on prices of all items.
He asked why the BJP Government at Centre hiked petrol and diesel prices within a fortnight when its entire leadership was “tong and hammers” before the election claiming to reduce the inflation in the market. “Prices of food items have started getting out of control and as per the newspaper reports prices of onions alone are about to reach hundred rupees a kilogram in the coming days. Is this what BJP used to promise the people of country? Azad asked.Azad said that we want to know about the “magical policies” and dreams which BJP and its leadership was busy selling to the people before the elections. He assured the people that as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, issues concerning common man will be raised vociferously on the floor of the House to hold the Government accountable for its misdoings.
Azad said United Progressive Alliance (UPA) during its ten years rule, strictly focused to build infrastructure in every nook and corner of the country and provide liberal financial support to the States. Massive funding was made available to the States for road connectivity and rural electrification under CRF, PMGSY and RGGVY schemes and their impact on the ground has been quite heartening. J&K State has also been extended liberal financial support for power projects, roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, etc under UPA Government. Azad said that after his entry into State politics, he could observe the “developmental deficit” prevailing in the State and that he worked tirelessly to build infrastructure in all regions and sub-regions of the State without any bias or prejudice adding that interests of all the sections of the State were kept in consideration.
As Union Health minister, Azad said that he sanctioned five medical colleges for the State so that young aspiring medicos would be trained within the State only to economize their training and degree costs adding that he expects State Government to soon commence the execution of these precious projects in a fast track mode.Describing Chenab Valley as treasure trove of natural resources and quality human resource, Azad stated the he endeavoured in his very brief spell of two and a half years as Chief Minister put this region on the track of development and progress.
Azad said that though the neglect of decades could not be compensated in a short span of two and half years, yet I draw satisfaction from the fact that a beginning was made, adding that a process of creating basic infrastructure like power projects, roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, Tourism Development Authorities, etc was taken up vigorously and the results are discernible and encouraging. Azad assured the people that the BJP will not survive for more time and will soon start tottering under its own self-contradictions, since its agenda for election campaign was based on propaganda and false claims.
He urged the people to strengthen the vote base of Congress Party by ensuring the victory of Congress MLA’s to take the State on the path of progress, prosperity and harmony. “I need all seats from Chenab Valley and I am sure we will form the government in state. If we come to power I promise you all, we will serve the people in the best possible manner and unfold a structure of governance, based on efficiency, transparency and equity” he said while asking people to gear up for the Assembly elections which are likely to be held in November this year.
While addressing Saroori expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Ghulam Nabi Azad for evincing personal interest in the development of Inderwal constituency, Saroori said that Azad left no stone unturned in giving fillip to several sectors related to common masses by providing liberal funding from the central government in UPA I and II government. He hoped that the state in general and Inderwal in particular would receive affectionate patronage from Azad in future also.
Later Senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammed Saroori hosted dinner here at his residence in Kishtwar in honour of Former Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
MLC Sham Lal Bhagat, DDC Kishtwar Mohammad Javed Khan, DIG Batote-Doda range Ashkoor Wani, SSP Kishtwar Sanjay Kotwal, local Congress leaders and senior officers from civil, army and police administration attended the dinner.MLA Saroori extended his good wishes to Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was recently nominated as Opposition Rajya Sabha Leader. Saroori also prayed for his good health and Zuccess.Reciprocating the wishes, G N Azad prayed for peace, development and prosperity of the state and its people.Azad appreciated the role of Saroori in maintaining communal harmony and his honest approach in dealing with political and development affairs.