Jammu/Srinagar, Oct 6: The remarks of a Youth Congress leader suggesting that the seat of government (Durbar) should not be shifted from Srinagar in view of the prevailing unrest in the Valley, has landed the party in a huge controversy.
State’s newly appointed Youth Congress president Shoaib Lone has been asked to explain his position with regard to the `controversial remarks’ made by him, without prior consultation with the party leadership. The issue rocked the state assembly today with BJP members raising a hullabaloo over the issue.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz and other senior leaders have already rejected the demand, saying it was the personal opinion of Lone.
It is learnt that Lone has been asked to explain his conduct and also told not to make any remarks to media or elsewhere which could create problems for the party.
A New Delhi based newspaper had quoted Lone as saying that the annual durbar move to Jammu next month should be deferred in view of the ongoing unrest in the Valley.
“The people must not feel that the government is so insensitive that it has shifted base in such a critical time. It will send out a very wrong message. Even if other administrative apparatus moves to Jammu, the CM along with at least half of his Cabinet Minister must stay in Srinagar to monitor the volatile situation. If the CM, who is also the Home Minister, is not there to monitor it personally, security forces will take advantage of the situation,” the newspaper had quoted Lone as saying.
The Durbar move is a sensitive issue in Jammu and Kashmir. This practice of shifting seat of the government twice a year from Srinagar to Jammu in October-end, and back to Srinagar in April-end has been going on for more than one and a half centuries.
Senior BJP leader, Ashok Khajuria, today raised the issue in the legislative assembly saying such comments were “unacceptable.”
He questioned why such a comment was made by a senior congress leader.
Khajuria said BJP won’t accept the annual process of Durbar move being stalled.
“The Durbar will remain in Srinagar for summer and in Jammu for winter,” he asserted, adding that the historic practice shall be carried forward.
Responding to Khajuria, Congress leader and minister for health and horticulture, Sham Lal Sharma responded on behalf of his party saying that such comments in no way represented the view of the party.
“These may be the individual view of the person but in no way represent the party view,” he said.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Lone said that he has been misquoted by the newspaper. “What I meant to say was that once the Durbar shifts to Jammu, government shall not forget about Kashmir which has witnessed unrest since June,” he said.
“Kashmir needs special focus of the government in view of the circumstances.”
Meanwhile, in a press statement issued here today, former Youth vice president Raja Maroof Khan termed Lone’s demand as mischievous and unwarranted.
He also charged Lone of having secured entry in the party from backdoor and damaging the party image in the state.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Oct 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 6 Oct 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 7 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST