JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra on Saturday led a protest outside the party headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk, alleging that a poster put up by the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit sought to associate Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav with militancy. The allegation has been reported by multiple news outlets, while the matter remains part of a political dispute between the two parties.
The protest came amid the Congress’ ongoing “Chaupal Pe Charcha” outreach programme across Jammu and Kashmir, through which the party has been raising issues including restoration of statehood, unemployment, recruitment concerns, rising prices and other public grievances.
Karra alleged that the BJP poster displayed photographs of Gandhi, Yadav and leaders of INDIA bloc parties alongside photographs of people described by the Congress as terrorists. He said the display was intended to create an impression of a link between the opposition leaders and militancy.
Scores of Congress workers and senior leaders, including JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla, participated in the demonstration and raised slogans against the BJP and the Central Government.
Karra also questioned the BJP’s claims on nationalism, referring to the 1999 Indian Airlines hijacking and the subsequent release of jailed militants, including Masood Azhar, during the then BJP-led government. He alleged that the handling of the crisis had implications for the militancy situation that followed. These were political allegations made by Karra during the protest.
The JKPCC president further invoked Rahul Gandhi’s family history, saying that two former prime ministers from the family had sacrificed their lives for the country’s security and unity. He also levelled allegations concerning the BJP’s political predecessors and their role during India’s freedom movement.
Karra said the Congress would continue its protests across Jammu and Kashmir against what he described as the BJP’s “politics of hatred” and attempts to divert attention from public issues.
