A critical juncture!
- Congress must appoint Hindu leader as JKPCC president to win the trust of Jammu people.
- Congress has to shun the caste-based census within Hindu religion to re-win the trust of Jammu’s people.
RC Sharma Chanakya
Jammu, Oct 23: The Congress party in Jammu & Kashmir is grappling with a significant decline, now struggling to maintain relevance even as a small regional political entity. In the recent assembly elections, the party managed to secure only six seats, and its performance in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year was dismal, resulting in a complete lack of representation.
The central leadership’s misguided decisions have taken the party from bad to worse. Once a dominant force, Congress now holds just one seat in the Jammu division, a dramatic drop from the 25 seats it previously won. This neglect of the people of Jammu, particularly the Hindu community, has contributed to the party’s current woes.
The political agenda promoted by Rahul Gandhi, particularly the push for a caste-based census within the Hindu community, has been largely rejected by the Hindu population in Jammu. This sentiment has been echoed in neighboring Haryana, where the idea was similarly dismissed, leading to a significant setback for the Congress party. Many in the Hindu community perceive Congress as attempting to create divisions within their ranks for political gain, which serves as a warning to the party to reassess its strategies before facing dire consequences.
Compounding these challenges is the recent appointment of Mr. Tariq Hameed Qara, a politician known for his shifting allegiances, having previously been with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) before joining Congress. This decision has sparked further dissatisfaction, especially among long-serving party members from Jammu who have dedicated over 40 years to the party, progressing from grassroots workers to influential leaders. Their contributions have been overshadowed by a focus on outsiders, leaving many feeling marginalized.
Senior leaders, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have voiced their discomfort with the party’s trend of prioritizing outsiders over established local figures. Despite the presence of senior Hindu leaders from Jammu, the party high command has consistently favored Kashmiri-based leaders, leading to feelings of humiliation among local Congress members.
The recent restructuring of the Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has raised eyebrows, particularly the formation of a Manifesto Committee headed by Prof. Saif-Ud-Din Soz. Once a prominent figure in the National Conference and a former member of the NDA, Soz’s switch to Congress has been viewed as opportunistic. This move has further alienated Jammu-based leaders, who feel that their contributions are undervalued in favor of transient alliances.
As the Congress party navigates this critical juncture, it faces an urgent need for introspection and renewal. The path forward requires a genuine commitment to the local populace and a reevaluation of its leadership choices. Failure to do so could result in an enduring decline, challenging the party’s legacy and influence in Jammu & Kashmir.
