Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 28: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra today accused the BJP-led Central Government of being “insensitive” in handling the situation in Ladakh, condemning the police firing on protestors and the arrest of environmentalist, Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act.
While addressing a press conference here, he said, “We express our solidarity with the families of the victims and the injured. We also remember that there was a peaceful movement there. It took an ugly turn, which we condemn. We condemn the arson that took place there. The firing that took place there is even more condemnable. Restraint could have been exercised.”
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He said Wangchuk was once hailed by the BJP as a nationalist for supporting the abrogation of Article 370 but is now being branded anti-national for raising people’s demands. “It is the same Sonam Wangchuk who was used by the BJP when Article 370 was abrogated. He was hailed as a nationalist then and declared a supranationalist living in the mountains. Today, when he talks about the rights of the people, he is declared anti-national,” he said.
He questioned the Government, “Why was he not anti-national when he informed people about the environment? Why was he not anti-national when he promoted education there as an educationist? Why was he not anti-national when he started a hunger strike to press for the people’s rights, Sixth Schedule? Why was he not anti-national when he travelled from Leh to Delhi? And when the youngsters there came on the roads, you declared Sonam Wangchuk anti-national? He was called an agent of Congress, ISI and CIA,” Karra added.
The Congress leader also referred to Wangchuk’s family background. “His father was a Deputy Minister in Congress in the 1970s and was removed in 1987 for anti-party activities. Since then, he pursued rightist politics in the name of Jan Sangh, Janata Dal, Jan Morcha, or BJP. His entire family of six brothers and two sisters are all with the BJP. His brother is vice-president of the BJP local unit. Despite that, he is anti-national today because he is not following BJP’s words,” he said.
Karra said Wangchuk had started a “genuine agitation” to fulfill the promises of the Sixth Schedule, supported by youth who formed an independent group. He pointed out that according to Government of India statistics, Ladakh ranks second in the country in terms of graduate unemployment, leaving young people agitated, irritated, and frustrated.
Karra said the belief that the situation will improve after Wangchuk’s arrest under the National Security Act is a “misunderstanding.”
On the Rajya Sabha elections, he said, “National Conference and Congress are in an alliance. We are supporting the Government from outside. However, our way of working is different.
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