Srinagar, Aug 30 : Overwhelmed with the Congress decision of sending the Party’s Policy Planning group to the Jammu and Kashmir next month, Senior Congress leader and former minister Tariq Hameed Karra has said that it was a matter of satisfaction that his efforts have finally began yielding results for which he is indebted to Party Chief Sonia Gandhi, Vice President, Rahul Gandi, Head of the group and Former Prime Minster Dr. Manhmohan Singh, P. Chidambaram, Gh. Nabi Azad, , Dr. Karan Singh and Ambika Soni .. Congress’s policy planning group on Kashmir is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir next month for discussions on current situation in the state with different sections of the society, party workers and opposition parties. The group would be headed by former Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh.
In a statement to Kashmir Scenario, Karra said that the finalization of dates for the team’s arrival was a welcome step and hoped the move would help in assessing the ground situation in a better way. The team would visit Jammu on September 10th and Kashmir six days later on September 16th.
Karra who has been instrumental in the constitution of the Policy Planning group said that during his frequent interactions with the Senior Party leaders in New Delhi including President Sonia Gandhi, and vice President Rahul Gandi, he has been insisting on such endeavors so that not only the ground situation is understood in a better way but also the people of Jammu and Kashmir are given a sense of belonging.
He said that sending the team to Kashmir was also significant because BJP government has shut the doors for negotiation and has left no room for any kind of outreach therefore Congress endeavor is worth appreciation.
He further said that it is an attempt of ‘handholding’ from the Congress party and imbibing sense of self of confidence in the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Karra added that considering the situation in Kashmir and the absence of any reconciliation on ground, he had suggested, the visits should be scheduled by or before 27th of August prior to the Supreme Court hearing on Article 35-A petition. But the visit has been scheduled in September because the hearing has been deferred in the Supreme Court. He added that Kashmiris have been marginalized with divisive politics of PDP- BJP combine and reaching out to them in the time of distress was indeed a much needed step.
The former Parliamentarian further said that he has been persistently raising the miseries of the people of the state in the party forum at New Delhi and sending the team under the leadership of none less than the two time former Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh was not only the acknowledgment of his efforts but also depicts the seriousness and the commitment of the Congress high command in engaging with the people in Kashmir. He added that he has held many rounds of meetings with Dr. Singh and other senior leaders during his recent visits in New Delhi in order to acquaint them about the prevailing situation.
While lauding the efforts of the members of Policy Planning group, Karra said that all these leaders have been working extensively for bringing change in Kashmir situation and the instant was part of that process.
He hoped, the process would continue and the people of state are heard at a time when Government has shut the doors for any kind of outreach.