Srinagar, Dec 8: A day after several Congress leaders were injured in police action during protests against the closure of the Sonamarg-Drass sector of Leh highway for vehicular traffic, the Congress has demanded action against the Kargil administration even as it would be taking up the issue with its high command.
 On Monday, senior Congress leader and former member parliament, Ghulam Hasan Commander, former chairman and chief executive councillor, Haji Asgar Ali Karbalayee, and district Congress president and MLA Zanskar, Ghulam Raza, and several other party activists were injured in police action when they led a protest by hundreds of irate passengers who have been stranded due to the closure of the traffic.
 “We condemn the use of brute force by police on our party workers. The protests are justified because the administration is not allowing movement of vehicles across the Zoji La although the mountain pass is open,” Congress leader and former minister, Haji Nisar Ali, told Greater Kashmir.
 He said the party would take up the matter with its high command. “But we want the SHO, Kargil, and his subordinates suspended, who have unleashed terror on our men while the administration has imposed section 144 Cr PC in the district,” Ali said.
 In Kargil, Ali said, there was shortage of essential commodities and people were facing hardships. “The situation has turned worse due to traffic restrictions.” Last year, he said, the road was through for vehicular traffic till December 28 but this year it was closed in November.
 The vice-president of the State Congress, Muhammad Muzaffar Parray, told Greater Kashmir from Delhi that he would take up the matter with the union home minister, P Chidambaram, whom he was going to meet.
 “We want action against the police officials who resorted to unwarranted use of force against protesters, including the Congress leaders and activists,” Parray said, asking why private vehicles were not being allowed to move on the road when government vehicles had been plying unhindered.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 Dec 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 8 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Dec 2009 00:00:00 IST