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Amid free-for-all situation, Cong restricts leaders from speaking on party affairs

Early Times Report

Jammu, Nov 11: Amid a free-for-all situation within the party, the Congress leadership has warned its leaders against speaking on behalf of the party on political and organisational issues.
Official directions in this regard have been issued to senior leaders, clearly stating that only authorised persons will be allowed to speak to the media on behalf of the party.
These directions have been issued after senior party leaders were found expressing divergent views on important political and organisational issues in the media.
Reports said that, as per the official directions, only designated senior leaders will be authorised to speak on behalf of the party on policy matters, political developments, organisational decisions and other broader issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
District-level functionaries, meanwhile, have been directed to confine their media interactions to issues concerning their respective districts.
The move is aimed at centralising the party's media communication by restricting the number of authorised spokespersons and making prior approval from its Srinagar headquarters mandatory for media interactions on broader political and organisational issues.
The instructions were issued through a circular following a meeting of District Congress Committee presidents of Kashmir Province, chaired by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed

The move is aimed at centralising the party’s media communication by restricting the number of authorised spokespersons.
The circular makes prior approval from Srinagar headquarters mandatory for media interactions on broader political and organisational issues.
The instructions were issued following a meeting of District Congress Committee presidents of Kashmir Province.
Only specifically designated persons, will be authorised to represent the party on broader political and policy matters.

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According to the circular, the JKPCC president, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader, chief whip and the in-charge of the party's Srinagar headquarters, along with other specifically designated persons, will be authorised to represent the party on broader political and policy matters.
District Congress presidents and district spokespersons have been specifically directed to restrict their public statements and media interactions to local issues and developments. They have been barred from commenting on broader political or policy matters or projecting their personal views as the official position of the party.
The circular also makes it mandatory for media houses and journalists seeking interviews, statements, reactions, briefings or clarifications from party functionaries to route their requests through the PCC headquarters in Srinagar for consideration and approval.
Party functionaries have further been warned against independently issuing political statements, reacting to sensitive matters or communicating the party's official position on policy issues, political developments and organisational decisions without prior authorisation.
Warning of disciplinary action, the circular states that any unauthorised statement or media interaction will be treated as a serious breach of organisational discipline and may invite action by the competent authority.