Congress decides: Will participate in elections to stop ‘communal’ BJP-RSS

Shameful, against peoples’ will: NC, PDP lambast

SRINAGAR: Putting to rest two-week-long speculations, the State unit of the Congress said Wednesday it would contest the upcoming urban local bodies and panchayat polls in the state provided its security concerns are addressed, a decision it said was taken to “keep away the communal forces” referring to BJP.

The party also accused NC and PDP—who have announced boycott of these elections-- of having entered into a “bigger conspiracy” with BJP, inviting strong ire of both major regional parties who termed Congress’s participation “shameful” and “against peoples’ will”.

"We cannot allow a field day to the BJP and RSS. We will contest the local bodies and panchayat elections with full might to stop communal forces from occupying the institutions of grassroots level democracy," state Congress chief G A Mir told reporters here.

Mir, however, added that the Congress had time and again apprised Jammu and Kashmir governor's office of the security concerns, especially in the valley.

"We sent three delegations to the governor right from the time N N Vohra took over the reins of the state (on 19 June 2018) to convey our concerns about the security of candidates. So far, we have not received any response from the concerned quarters on the issue," he said.

Mir said his party will observe and assess the steps taken by the state administration on the ground to ensure peaceful, safe, free and fair elections.

"If this issue is not addressed, Congress party will deliberate and discuss it. We will be within our rights to review the decision (on participation in the polls)," he added.

Mir also said the Congress stood for safeguarding Article 35-A of the Constitution and will continue to do that.

"There are certain sections of people in our state who have some concerns. We have discussed those concerns minutely and fond that those can be addressed by the state legislature without tinkering with Article 35-A," he said.

On National Conference (NC) and PDP boycotting the upcoming polls, the state Congress president said they have their own issues "but secular parties have a role to play in stopping the communal forces".

Mir lashed out at PDP saying the party was ruling in alliance with BJP till just a few months ago but today is making tall claims on various issues. "When you lose power, you start dreaming," he said referring to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti's recent statements on Article 35-A.

Mir claimed there was a possibility of a "tacit" understanding between the BJP and those parties staying away from local bodies polls with an eye on future elections in the state.

"It can be an understanding whereby the field is left open for BJP and RSS in this election and they (parties boycotting elections) getting a return favour later," he said.

Congress chief’s remarks invited strong retaliation from PDP which said that the latter has taken a “shameful decision against the will of people”, and that its own decision to stay away from polls was a “well-thought one”.

“Participation of Congress will not matter to the PDP politically, however, it is shameful and at the same time surprising that the party has exhibited a decision that is against the will of the people,” PDP chief spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir said.

He said that the Congress has been the Architect of erosion of J&K’s autonomy and they have always viciously engineered a plot against the sentiments of people, adding that PDP’s decision to stay away from the polls was strongly based on a reason to respect the sentiments of people, to ensure that there are no further killings on the ground.

Mir said the party won’t go against the aspirations of people for appeasing New Delhi.

“Our people are dying, there is no accountability, in this scenario how can you expect a credible political process,” he said.

He said the decision of Congress will further alienate the people, but then it’s nothing new for them as they have time and again shown that they don’t care for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

National Conference on the other hand termed Ghulam Ahmad Mir’s remarks as outrageous and far from the truth.

“Congress chief has called NC decision as part of a ’larger conspiracy’. The very identity of the state is under threat and it is NC which has taken the fight head on. It is sad that the Congress chief had to make such malafide targeted accusations on our decision,” NC Provincial Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said.
“It would have been better if Congress had supported parties from J&K in their attempts to safeguard interests of State subjects,” Imran said.

“I will not hesitate in saying that the Congress has indeed bailed out the right wing BJP by announcing their participation in the upcoming ULB, Panchayat polls without getting a guarantee from the central government on where it stands on Art 35 A and Art 370,” he said.