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| Why is Congress maintaining a complete silence? | | Gandhi Commission and protests in Jammu | | Neha
JAMMU, Dec 23: It was on December 20 that the one-man commission of inquiry on the August 9 Kishtwar despicable communal assault on the minority community submitted its interim report to the state government leading to the re-induction of Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo in the Council of Ministers as MoS Home. Ever since then, people across the Jammu province are holding protest demonstrations against the commission of inquiry and NC-Congress coalition government and accusing them of working in unison to save the guilty and demoralize the minority community, especially in the Kishtwar district of Jammu province.
A number of political and social organizations - apart from the community of lawyers - have expressed their views on the report and re-induction of Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo in the Council of Ministers. The BJP has rejected the report. The JKNPP has rejected the report. The BSP has rejected the report. The lawyers have rejected the report. The ABVP, VHP, BD and many other similar organizations have rejected outrightly the report and described the clean chit to Kitchloo
as a "cruel joke". The people of Jammu even observed two-day bandh to register their protest against Justice Gandhi and the NC-Congress coalition government. So much so, they held protest demonstrations outside the Governor House and the house of Justice Gandhi.
The truth, in short, is that all barring the leadership of Kashmir-based and Kashmir-centric formations have reacted to the interim report and the re-induction of Kitchloo. Infact, the NC has defended the interim report and the re-induction and the PDP has not spoken a word against or for them. Of course, the PDP, like the Congress and the JKNPP, boycotted the oath taking ceremony on December 21.
The silence maintained by the JKPCC and the Congress ministers appears intriguing. Intriguing in the sense that it has the potential of making the people of Jammu province believe that the Congress and the NC are on the same page as far as their attitude towards the minority community is concerned. The NC, which has lost its credibility in the Jammu province and is concerned more with the Valley than with the entire state, can afford criticism in Jammu. But the Congress, which has little support-base in Kashmir and depends wholly and solely on Jammu province, just cannot afford to offend the minority community in Jammu province. Silence on its part on the issue that is very dear to the minority community would further harm the Congress party in this politically important province. It must make its stand on the whole issue public so that it remains somewhat relevant and to continue to maintain stoic silence would only help its detractors like the BJP capture its political space and expand its constituency in this province. It is time for the local Congress leadership to take note of the wind that is blowing across the country and refashion its whole approach towards the minority community in Jammu province in the interest of the state and its people. It should assert its position and authority and say right is right and wrong is wrong. |
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