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| Crisis deepens: Kar joins chorus | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, April 19: Crisis in the Congress party may deepen in the coming days as senior, aged and ailing leader, Ghulam Rasool Kar has decided to join the chorus. The Congress high command will find it extremely difficult to deal with a defiant Kar whose residence has become a hot spot for disgruntled Congress workers.
Kar is extremely busy these days. Scores of persons, believed to be Congress workers call on him. Kar also made his presence felt last week when he addressed a Congress function at Khanabal in Anantnag district to commemorate the 125th raising day of the party.
Significantly, political circles have assigned much importance to Kar’s activities. Two years ago he gave some tough moments to two scribes who had come to interview him. Kar had to be reminded that he was a minister in Farooq’s Abdullah’s government. Kar could not believe himself and called his wife from the kitchen. He was delighted when his wife confirmed that he had been a minister. But it seems Kar has regained his energy. He is out and part of a controversy that haunts the Congress high command.
Kar hails from North Kashmir, a place where people mostly make a living from apple orchards. The aged politician knows how to play his cards. Seven years ago surprised one and all by stating that Jammu Kashmir was not a political or law and order problem. According to him, it is an economic problem. In an interview with New Delhi based Tara Shaker Sahay he struck the appropriate chor4d. He said: Kashmir’s main produce is fruit. To transport one crate of fruit from Srinagar to Delhi costs Rs 25. To transport the crate from Srinagar to Rawalpindi costs Rs 5. Similarly, bringing a quintal of rice from Srinagar to Delhi costs Rs 30. But From Srinagar to Rawalpindi it costs Rs 10”.
Kar made this statement when nobody in the state could even imagine that Jehlum Valley Road (Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road would be opened in near future. Although Kar has not claimed credit for the opening of the historic route, he knew about its importance and did not hesitate expressing it publicly.
In the same interview, Kar said: “I met Sonia Gandhi along with my senior party colleagues from the state and told her what was wrong. But she ignored us and nominated a Pradesh Congress Committee chief for JK. It is ironical that while PCC chiefs in other states have been elected, the incumbent has been foisted in Kashmir.”
If Congress workers are seen outside Kar’s residence today, they have a strong reason to be there. Some of them believe that the ailing Kar was more energetic than anybody else and can pull the party out of crisis. If the enthusiasm, rather optimism of Congress workers is any indicator then the party high command cannot ignore Kar this time.
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