Evacuate J&K labourers, students who are unable to return home due to lockdown: G. M Saroori to government

Bring back all residents of J&K from different parts of the country

JAMMU, MARCH 28: - Jammu and Kashmir Congress, Vice Chief, G. M Saroori today urged the government to evacuate the J&K labourers, students who are unable to return home due of lockdown.

A large number of students were studying in different colleges while as labourer's were working as daily wagers in different unorganised sectors, are now stranded in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Assam and other states. Most of them are from Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi districts.

"Stranded labourers and students are making distress calls who are struck up in neighboring states in different parts of the country, should be immediately brought back to their homes in view of the alarming spread of COVID-19", G. M Saroori J&K Congress Vice Chief demanded.

Mr. Saroori said it is the responsibility of our administration to take up with respective state governments and GoI besides appointing nodal officers and grievance cells for each state to identify such people and render them all possible help,” he said and added that without the government''s help, it is not possible to help the migrant labourers and students affected by the lockdown.

J&K Congress condemns terrorist attack on Gurdwara in Kabul

Our hearts go out to the families who have lost their loved ones in this inhuman act

JAMMU, MARCH 26: J&K Congress strongly condemned the “heinous terrorist attack” on a Gurdwara in Kabul, resulting in loss of several lives and injuries to worshipers.

“Such despicable attacks have no political, religious or moral justification and must be rejected outright,” J&K Congress Vice Chief, G. M Saroori said in a statement issued here.

“Congress condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. All places of worship are sacrosanct and their sanctity must be respected at all times,” Saroori added.

The J&K Congress Vice Chief said: “Our hearts go out to the families who have lost their loved ones in this inhuman act and we pray for the swiftest recovery of the injured. We also express our abiding solidarity with the fraternal people of Afghanistan.”

At least 11 people were killed after gunmen opened fired at a Gurdwara in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.

Saroori greets people on Nauroz

Plant trees for saving our rapidly deteriorating environment

JAMMU, MARCH 22: Former Minister J&K, G. M Saroori has conveyed his greetings on the auspicious occasion of Nauroz, which is also observed as World Arbour Day.

In his message of felicitations, Mr. Saroori has observed that this festival has important cultural and religious significance and appealed to one and all to join hands in planting trees for saving our rapidly deteriorating environment.

Mr. Saroori hoped that this auspicious day would be the harbinger of peace, progress and prosperity in the State.

Saroori extends greetings on Shab E Meraj

Urged people to perform special prayers to seek Allah's protection against COVID-19

Jammu, March 22: - Former Minister J&K, G. M Saroori has felicitated people on the auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Meraj and urged them to imbibe the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for making the world a better place to live in.

In a greeting message on the occasion, Saroori highlighted need for spreading the message of the Holy Prophet (SAW) who, he said promoted love, affection, kindness and mutual respect among the humankind. The teachings are more relevant today when violence and intolerance have increased across the globe. The cure of the ailments afflicting the world today lies in following the path shown by the Last Messenger (SAW), he said and asked the people to emulate him in showing compassion even to adversaries.

Saroori described Shab-e-Meraj as the greatest miracle in the human history when Almighty Allah took His most beloved Prophet on journey to the heavens and shared with him the secrets of the universe. The occasion showed the most exalted position Muhammad (SAW) was bestowed by the Master of the Universe.

The former Minister asked the people to spare a thought for deprived and underprivileged sections of the society and share the joy of the auspicious occasion with them. He urged people to perform special prayers to seek Allah's protection against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak and for peace, prosperity and well-being of the Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar Congress Corporators hold important meeting Congress toda leaders

Srinagar, March 19: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Thursday held an important meeting of Srinagar Party Corporators in Jammu and discussed threadbare, overall developmental scenario in City.

The corporators briefed PCC President about the various issues of public importance.

J&K PCC President G. A. Mir, who presided over the meeting took stock of the overall developmental scenario in Srinagar, besides the work done by the Party Corporators in their respective wards, came under discussion.

The Corporators briefed the President about the difficulties confronting them due to lackadaisical attitude adopted by the Corporation, besides briefing the President about the step-motherly attitude that the Corporation has adopted towards them. They said it seems the Corporation doesn't want them (Congress Corporators) to function in a manner they should, and urged the President to intervene inorder to ensure that they are able to discharge their legitimate duties, besides enabling them to serve people for which they have been chosen.

Those who were part of the meeting included: Shower Ahmad Kak, Basharat Bin Qadir, Shameema Khan, Sobee Jan, Naziya Yousuf, Haseena, Aijaz Rasool Bhat, Shafat Gaffer,Farooq Ahmad Dar, Shaheena Bhat, Zahoor Hussain Rather, Sara Bilal, Asif Ahmad Beigh, and Saida.

On this occassion Senior Party Leaders G. M. Saroori, Haji Ab. Rashid Dar Vice Presidents and Surinder Singh Channi were also present.

Expressing serious concern G. A. Mir described the attitude of the SMC towards Party Corporators as undemocratic, unethical and against the basic principles of public service, which will not be tolerated and shall be dealt sternly in a democratic manner, Mir said, the statement said.

Our Corporators have been elected by the people, despite the unscertainity and threat to their lives, Congress Party fielded them inorder to take the development at the door steps of Srinagarities, but it is very unfortunate to observe that they are being intimated, not being allowed to participate in the process of development, which is highly deplorable act on the part of Corporation Mir said.

Congress Party understands that the Srinagar Municipal Corporation is being used as a political platform to settle political scores, which has to be contained, for the fact any democratic institutions in the Country or J&K meant to serve and strengthen people, not to play politics, Mir added and laid emphasizes over providing opportunities to Members to ensure development in their respective wards for which they are mandated.

G. A. Mir urged the LG G. C. Murmur to look into the grievances of Congress Corporators, besides ensuring that Corporation functions absolutely, in a democratic manner.

Remove all restrictions, curbs on mainstream political parties:Congress

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has asked the Centre Government and UT administration to remove all restrictions and curbs from leaders of Congress and other mainstream political parties if the government is really interested in any genuine political activity to take off in Jammu and Kashmir.

Lashing out at the Centre and UT administration for allowing selective and sponsored political activities only while putting various kinds of unannounced restrictions and hurdles on other mainstream political parties, JKPCC senior functionaries including Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, former Ministers and Legislators took stock of current political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting resolved to oppose the vindictive and divisive policies of Centre Government and UT administration towards Congress and other mainstream opposition leaders.

JKPCC Chief G A Mir presided over the meeting, which was attended by former JKPCC President Peerzada Mohammad, Madan Lal Sharma Ex-MP, Tara Chand Ex-Deputy Chief Minister, former Ministers Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla, G M Saroori, M S Niaz, Haji Abdul Rashid Dar and Kanta Bhan Vice Presidents; R S Chib, Prakash Sharma, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Mohammad Akram, Rajnish Sharma (Co-Teasurer), General Secretaries Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Manmohan Singh, Shah Nawaz Choudhary and Surinder Singh Channi.

Discussing threadbare overall political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir, the leaders said that there will not be any effect of vindictive actions of Centre Government and UT on Congress and the party will continue to move ahead on its settled path and ideology, maintaining religious and regional harmony besides fighting for restoration of dignity, honour, status and rights of J&K including full statehood, rights of land and jobs to youth.

The meeting criticized BJP Government for its failures on various fronts, especially economy and maintaining peace and harmony in the country. The BJP Government at the Centre is trying to divert attention of people from its failures by engaging people on unproductive and destructive paths, said party leaders, cautioning people against divisive agenda of BJP and its allied forces and urged for maintaining communal harmony at all costs.

It was also decided in the meeting that in view of coronavirus, the proposed convention of Congress on March 21st and 22nd, 2020 has been postponed. Pertinent to mention here that All India Congress Committee’s Gandhi Sandesh Yatra from March 12 to April 6, 2020 has already been postponed and new schedule will be communicated to party’s rank and file in due course of time.

Party strong, United to play big role in J&K: Congress

Workers are the real strength of the party, who always steered the party at the time of need during its long history

JAMMU, March 09: Several Senior Congress leaders have said that the party is strong enough and united to play a significant role in the days ahead for the better future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have been deprived of their basic identity as a State and special rights to land and jobs.

Cautioning the people and party cadres about few leaders finding short cuts and changing their loyalty in search of better opportunities for their career in politics, they said that the Congress workers are the real strength of the party, who always steered the party at the time of need during its long history. They said that entire rank and file of the party is together and united to face future challenges before the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are passing through a worst time for the reasons of arbitrary disbanding and downgrading of the historic J&K State into UT and removal of special rights of locals to land and jobs to local youth.

They regretted that few leaders of Kashmir who were the great votaries of safeguarding and rather further expanding the existing rights of the people under Article 370, are now finding new roles for themselves for their political survival under the guidance of their new found mentors and are finding short cuts in politics to enter corridors of power at the cost of the interests of J&K people. The public is wise enough to understand and protect its rights and would play its role in the democracy against all odds in the days to come.

The Congress party always stands for protecting the democratic rights of the people and firmly believes that it is the will of the people that should prevail in the democracy.

The signatories to the statement included former DyCM Tara Chand, former ministers/ senior leaders, Raman Bhalla, Mula Ram, G M Saroori, Haji Abdul Rashid Far, Mohd Amin Bhat, Mohd Sharief Niaz, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Vikar Rasool, Abdul Majid Wani, Yogesh Sawhney, senior leaders Jahangir Mir, Parkash Sharma, Ravinder Sharma, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Ch Shah Mohd, Manmohan Singh, Ch Shah Nawaz, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Ch Mohd Akram, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Ashok Sharma, Krishan Bhagat, Haider Sheikh, GL Chalotra, Naresh Gupta, Subash Gupta, Ashok Dogra, Sham Lal Bhagat, Hari Singh Chib, Ch Gani, Farooq Katoch, M S Parihar and others.

Meanwhile, all Congress Corporators of Jammu Municipal Corporation have also reaffirmed their full faith in the party and said that they reject the opportunist stand of any party leader changing loyalty at this juncture for vested interests.

G M Saroori greets people on Holi

J&K is famous for its rich cultural amity and celebrations of festivals

JAMMU, MARCH 09: - Former J&K Minister, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori today extended his greeting to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Holi, the festival of colours.

Mr. Saroori said Jammu and Kashmir is famous for its rich cultural, amity and celebrations of festivals in the state are unique for their secular and friendly colour.

He said: ''Holi provides us an opportunity to break all barriers for sharing our joy, sentiments and good feelings and to spread happiness all around besides this the day would be celebrated with traditional gaiety, sobriety and decorum.''

''While celebrating festivals every one of us has to further cement the existing brotherly relations and extend message of love to everyone,'' Mr. Saroori added and also expressed the hope that the festival would go a long way in strengthening the bonds of brotherhood, unity and integrity of the country.

NIA quizzes senior Cong leader in terror attack probe

Jammu, Feb 11 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday questioned senior Congress leader and former minister G M Saroori in connection with its probe into terror attacks in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Saroori, 67, who is Jammu and Kashmir Congress vice president and three-time legislator from Inderwal constituency of Kishtwar, was served a notice under Section 160 CrPC by the NIA, asking him to appear before it to answer "certain questions" relating to a case registered by the probe agency in the district in 2018.

"The questioning lasted for nearly one-and-a-half hour from 3.30 pm and my father assured full support to the NIA in its probe. He reached the office at the scheduled time at 11 am but the investigating officer was late," Shariq Saroori, the son of the Congress leader, told .

Shariq said his father made it clear to the NIA that his family is nationalist by core and their house is guarded by the CRPF round-the-clock, when he was asked about the disclosure made by some arrested persons that someone was dropped in a lane leading to their house.

Earlier, G M Saroori said he does not know why he was summoned by the NIA.

"I was outside and had reached Jammu this morning. Do you think I have any connection with Hizbul Mujahideen or Osama (a slain terrorist)," he told reporters outside the NIA office.

The communally sensitive Kishtwar had been rocked by a series of terror incidents since November 2018 after the hilly district was declared terrorism-free over a decade ago. The longest surviving Hizbul Mujahdeen terrorist, Mohammad Amin Bhat alias "Jehangir Saroori", is dubbed as the brain behind the revival of terrorism in the district.

Terrorists shot dead senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar on November 1, 2018, while RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO were assassinated on April 9, 2019.

The militants also snatched the service rifle of the deputy commissioner''s PSO on March 8, 2019, and the rifle of the PSO of the People''s Democratic Party district president on September 13 last year.

The NIA is investigating the terror cases.

The first major success against terrorists in the district was registered on September 28 last year when security forces killed three ultras, including the mastermind behind the killings, Osama Bin Javed, in Ramban district.

In September last year, Saroori''s brother Mohammad Shafi was among a dozen persons booked in two separate FIRs for their alleged links with Hizbul Mujahideen but was not arrested.

Shafi refuted having any links with the group and said the allegations against him were "politically motivated". He said he was open to a fair probe and hopeful that the truth would prevail.

"My father also raised the issue of my uncle (Shafi) with the investigating officer who clarified that he is not linked with Hizbul Mujahideen," Shariq claimed.

He said the Congress leader made it clear to the investigating officer that Hizbul MUjahideen terrorist (Bhat) is not linked with the family.

"Saroori was added to his alias after the BJP came to power in the erstwhile state in coalition with the PDP. Earlier he was only known by the code name of Jehangir. No question was asked about Osama," Shariq said quoting his father.

Congress passes resolution demanding restoration of statehood, early elections in Jammu and Kashmir

GhulamNabi Azad said the party also expresses its grave concern over the continued escalation along the Indo-Pak border

JAMMU: The Congress on Friday demanded the restoration of statehood to Jammu andKashmir, safeguards to jobs and property for the local people and release of all political leaders to facilitate early assembly polls in the erstwhile state. 

A resolution in this regard was passed in an executive committee meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), chaired by senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni and Gulam Ahmed Mir, here."We passed a unanimous resolution here demanding restoration of full statehood, protection to jobs and property rights to the people of J and K and release of all political leaders and workers to facilitate early assembly polls," Azad told reporters after the conclusion of the meeting. He said Jammu and Kashmir is one of the oldest states and restoration of the statehood will do justice to its people."J and K is a border state, which shares borders with China and Pakistan. The BJP government should take on board the people of J and K and the northeast and not play with fire," Azad said.

The Congress expresses its deep solidarity with the people of J and K who underwent numerous kinds of curbs and curtailments of their civil rights and liberties during the past over five months after the abrogation of the special status to their state under Article370 of the Constitution, he said."The erstwhile state was put into a state of undeclared emergency whereby all mainstream opposition leaders and activists were put to severe restrictions including detentions and some of them under the stringent provisions of law for undeclared periods," he said.

"GoI hurt the self-esteem of the people by reducing status of J and K from statehood to a UT, a phenomenon never happened in the 72 years of India's independence," he added. Azad said the party also expresses its grave concern over the continued escalation along the Indo-Pak border.

While condemning such actions of Pakistan against our soldiers and civilians in the strongest possible words, we urge the Centre to take all possible and urgent steps to prevent and check Pakistan from indulging in such mischiefs and misadventures on borders, he added. The Modi government continues to harp on its diversionary tactics, the most recent being the dispatching of alarge team of central ministers to J and K in view of the growing resentment against the government on various issues and to cover up the failures of the BJP government on various fronts especially the economic crises facing the Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Azad said those who restored the democracy in J and K by participating in elections despite militancy have been put behind bars and it is time for the government to take everyone on board. Azad parried a question on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's tweet hitting at the NIA chief over the case of DSP Davinder Singh, saying he was not aware about it.

Ambika Soni said that there is no question of any Congress leader joining any group or front allegedly being created in the UT.

Mir, who is the JKPCC president, said, "We are sure that unless the established mainstream political parties and other political entities are not allowed to function and perform their usual political activities, no meaningful and credible political process can take off and succeed."The resolution by the Congress said, "The party demands restoration of full statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir, adequate legal and constitutional guarantees to safeguard the rights of locals over land, jobs and admissions in professional courses," the resolution said."All leaders and activists of the Congress and other political entities, detained during the period should be released forthwith and all curbs and restrictions on mainstream political parties, their leaders and activists should be lifted to allow them to resume their usual political activities to create a congenial and conducive political atmosphere for a meaningful and credible political process to pave way for holding of early Assembly elections," it further said. The Centre had on August 5 last year abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcated it into union territories. 

Take effective steps to curb accidents, ensure development of Doda: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Listens grievances of newly elected BDC Chairmans

JAMMU, Nov 13: While expressing serious concern over the rising number of accidents in erstwhile Doda district and total neglect of area in terms of development, former Union Health Minister and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad has asked State Administration to take effective steps in this direction.

Mr Azad who arrived here this morning from Union Capital on three-day visit to Doda, Bhaderwah and Ramban told reporters “It is unfortunate that entirely Doda region is in grief over Tuesday’s accident in which 16 people were killed and one injured.”

He said that many innocent lives are claimed in road mishaps in Doda every year and the Government must take notice of it. He said condition of the roads is also very bad and there is need to pay attention towards this problem and ensure better development in otherwise neglected area.

“I appeal to the new J&K Lt Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu to take measures to prevent road accidents so that many lives could be saved,” Azad said.

He expressed his desire to meet people in Doda and also visit families of road accident victims.
Later, Azad along with some party leaders straightway left for Batote and Doda. At Udhampur and Chenani , the party functionaries and former Legislators including KC Bhagat met Azad and projected issues of the general public.

Several delegations also met Azad at Batote Dak Bungalow during afternoon and projected the local issues. Some elected independent BDC chairpersons also called on Azad and highlighted the issues. Ex-MLA Ramban Ashok Kumar briefed him about recent political developments and plight of the general public.

During his by road journey from Jammu to Doda, some deputations also met him at Assar and Kanderi Nallah led by former MLC Sham Lal Bhagat and BCC members. They also told Azad about worst condition of Marmat Road where accident took place on Tuesday killing 16 people. They strongly held State Administration and pervious PDP-BJP Govt responsible for worst condition of roads and lack of development in entire Chenab belt of Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban.

At Doda, Azad met dozens of deputations of local public and party functionaries. Former ministers, Mohd Sharief Niaz, Ghulam Mohd Saroori, Abdul Majid Wani, former MLC Naresh Gupta, senior DCC member from Kishtwar, Shariq Saroori, Raj Kumar Badyal, Sanjeet Kotwal and several other DCC/BCC members apprised Mr Azad of the local issues, neglect of Chenab belt, discrimination and harassment of Congress workers.

They alleged that condition of the roads was worst and many development works started during previous Cong-NC regime have been stopped. There was no accountability of the officers at all and the corruption has increased many fold. Bureaucrats and other middle rung officers are least bothered about the plight of the public. The doctors and other paramedical staff are not available in many hospitals in Doda and Kishtwar and public issues have become least priority for this Administration, they alleged.

Mr Azad also paid visit to new Govt Medical College and Hospital at Doda which was sanctioned by him during his tenure as Union Health Minister few years ago and also met with some patients their attendants and Hospital Administration. He inquired about the shortcomings and facilities being provided to the general public at present.

Tomorrow, Azad will visit Bhaderwah. After meeting public delegations at Bhalla and Bhaderwah, he will leave for Ramban where he will have night stay and also meet delegations from Banihal and Ramban constituencies. The day after tomorrow, he will return to Jammu and then leave for Delhi in the evening.