Devsar (Kulgam), May 2: Asking National Conference to take suggestions from its ally - Congress - in a positive manner, Union Health Minister and former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad Wednesday said he has always supported continuation of Omar Abdullah as the Chief Minister of the state for full six year term.
“There is no rift between the NC and Congress and the coalition will complete its full term with Omar Abdullah as Chief Minister,” Azad said while addressing a rally in this South Kashmir district.
He, however, asked the coalition partner to take the criticism positively and refrain from any discrimination on the basis of party allegiance.
“If anyone from Congress party has any concern about the developmental issues, the coalition partner should take it in a positive way rather than making it an issue. So, if I suggest or criticize the government, I in no way am targeting the coalition partner only but the Congress ministers  also who are very much part of the coalition government and are accountable to the masses like their ally,” said Azad.
Last month Azad at a public rally in Billawar area of Doda district had said that the present government has either delayed or stopped the projects initiated by him when he was the Chief Minister of the state. He had further said that the Congress has two vacant berths in the cabinet and the Chief Minister should return R&B and education portfolios to the party.
“The state is lagging behind in the development because of the 22 years of political uncertainty and now with improvement in situation we want that the development activities should speed up so that the we can catch up with other states,” he said adding that is the reason he has been always stressing on working in double shifts.
Azad said as the Chief Minister was the representative of every citizen of the state, he should ensure that there was no discrimination on the basis of party allegiance, region or religion. “I have always been backing Omar Abdullah in completing his full six year term with the support of Congress and have never been advocating for rotational policy. But at the same time we also want that the Congress leaders and workers should be treated as equal partners,” said Azad.
He asked the people and the regional parties to strengthen the Congress in the state.
“In order to usher the state towards peace, prosperity and development it is imperative for the people as well regional parties; NC as well as PDP to strengthen the Congress because if Congress is weakened it will automatically weaken the state,” said Azad.
“The coalition governments are the reality not only in centre but in states too. So, I ask NC and PDP whether they will forge an alliance with BJP or pro-Pakistan parties if Congress is rendered weak in the state. Congress forms the foundation of the state government whether it is headed by NC or PDP and if it is weakened the upper stories cannot withstand,” he added.
Azad complimented the central government for its liberal grants to the state.
“The Centre led by the Congress party has always been generous enough to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and has been granting liberal funds for developmental purposes and will continue to do so,” he said.
He said that while the Annual health budget to other states has been cut by 10 percent this year, there has been an increase of exactly the same percentage to this state. “Crores of rupees are being spent on various centrally sponsored projects and I assure that this will go on regardless of the economic restrains the Centre is facing right now,” said Azad.
He asked the state government to utilize the funds in a proper way for the development purposes.
Azad also apprised the people about the benefits that people can avail through centre sponsored scheme; National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
However, when he enquired from the people present in the gathering if they were availing these benefits, they replied in negative.
“Now that I have apprised you about the benefits you can avail through NRHM you should not hesitate in asking for them in the hospitals,” Azad told the gathering.
He also assured the people of fulfilling their genuine demands including setting up of Medical College in Islamabad (Anantnag) which according to him will cater to whole of South Kashmir.
Putting to end the speculation of his resigning from his Union Health Ministry portfolio Azad while talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the function said, “These are only rumors and I am not resigning from the post of the Union Health Minister.”
Speculations have been ripe that the Azad along with some other Union Ministers including Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh are contemplating to resign from their respective portfolios and work for strengthening the Congress party at the grass root level after the debacle the party faced in the UP elections.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Minister for Public Enterprises Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed also addressed the rally.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 May 2012 00:00:00 IST