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| NC-Congress: Coalition of contradictions - I | | | RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Dec 29: All is not well with the NC-Congress coalition. The Congress as a party is, it appears, in a confrontation mode. There appears nothing that is common between the two coalition partners, except the Congress' somewhat favourable attitude the NC's demand for greater autonomy. Even the relations between the Congress as an organization and its ministers in the government are, it seems, not very cordial. However else should one describe the tone and tenor of those who spoke in a rally on Tuesday at Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The rally was organized in connection with the closing of the 125th year of the Indian National Congress Foundation celebrations?
Equally notable was the manner in which the Congress, which is part of the government, bemoaned the discriminatory policies of the state government towards Jammu province. The extent of dissatisfaction could be gauged from the fact that Congress veteran and former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma once again questioned the very power-sharing formula under which the state power was handed over to the NC on a platter for a full term of six years. What he said is the view of the overwhelming majority of the Congress leaders and workers belonging to the Jammu province.
What exactly happened at the Congress rally? What did various Congress leaders say while addressing the rally? One, the Congress rally turned out to be anti-BJP rally. Almost all those who spoke on the occasion, including AICC Working Committee Member and former national spokesperson Satyavrat Chaturvedi and JKPCC chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, denounced the BJP for its stand on Article 370. They not just accused the BJP of indulging in double-speak as far as Article 370 is concerned, but also held out a categorical commitment that this Article shall ever remain part of the Indian Constitution. The JKPCC chief described Article 370 as the New Delhi's gift to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Both Chaturvedi and Prof Soz asserted that the Congress is for autonomy for the state within the framework of Indian Constitution and that the party would not compromise its position on the state.
It is obvious that they were addressing Kashmir where the parties like the NC have been demanding autonomy from India. It would be only appropriate to point out here that Chaturvedi offended the Congress constituency in Jammu, which is rabidly opposed to the idea of the state getting more autonomy. Take, for example, the likes of Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma. Sharma had only on December 5 taken to task those in Kashmir talking in terms of autonomy, self-rule and freedom and virtually demanded the state's trifurcation. Sharma was very much on the dais when Chaturvedi expressed himself in favour of autonomy.
Two, the Congress rally turned out to be an anti-NC rally. For example, Congress leaders like Prof Soz, former Deputy Chief Minister Sharma, MP Madan Lal Sharma and JKPCC vice-president Dharmpal Sharma came down heavily on the NC. Prof Soz expressed his displeasure over the failure of the NC to include the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act to empower Panchayats. Madan Lal Sharma said the same. In fact, he went a few steps further and said: The "Congress must not participate in panchayat elections till these amendments are incorporated in the J&K Panchayati Raj Act" and that "if elections are delayed for a month or so on this count, it would hardly matter." What Prof Soz and Sharma said was a clear proof that there are serious differences between the two parties as far as the existing J&K Panchayati Raj Act is concerned.
However, it was Mangat Ram Sharma who did some plain speaking at the rally. As mentioned earlier, he questioned the very basis of the power-sharing formula reached between the NC and the Congress after the 2008 assembly elections were over and the people gave a fractured verdict. Sharma rejected out-of-hand the power-sharing formula and publicly stated: "The alliance between the Congress and the NC is for six years. I again reiterate that after the present CM completes three years in office, the Congress should be given the opportunity to lead the government during the next three years. Congress should be given the opportunity to have its Chief Minister. It is not desirable to deprive the Congress party of its natural right. Such derivation leads to ill will. We had raised this issue at the All-India Plenary Session in Delhi also. Jammu too should get the opportunity to lead the NC-Congress coalition government. Such a power-sharing formula would be helpful to the Congress and the NC and it would also help the Congress strengthen itself at the grassroots level."
His message was loud and clear: The Congress is unhappy with the NC; the existing arrangement must go lock, stock and barrel, as it has only harmed the Congress party in Jammu; Jammu would suffer more if the existing power-sharing formula is not modified taking into consideration the larger party interests and interests of the people of Jammu province. It is important to note that Mangat Ram Sharma has been demanding rotational Chief Minister for quite sometime now. He put forth this demand in the Congress rally at Dayalachak and he reiterated his demand in Samba as well and again at the Congress rally. This means things are moving towards a full-scale confrontation between the Congress and the NC, which wants to rule the state for full six years. (To be continued) |
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