Jammu: Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan (DSS) chairman and former minister Chowdhary Lal Singh was in attendance in “Bharat Jodo Yatra” yet as a sulking man and that too for a genuine reason.
He along with his hundreds of supporters had reached the Yatra reception venue, thus adding strength to the crowd, much to the glee of Congress organisers.
Singh still holds a sway in Kathua district However, he was not allowed to share stage with the dignitaries. Reason though publicly was not spelt out yet was not a secret for anyone.
The move of Congress, already facing the flak from its ‘friends’, mainly Kashmir based mainstream political parties and right activists, for allowing Singh to be part of Yatra, was to save itself from ignominy.
NC vice president and the former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already cautioned the Congress against allowing Singh to be part of Yatra given his “past” wherein he (Singh) had defended the accused in Rasana minor rape and murder case. Congress should not allow Yatra platform to be used by anyone to wash one’s past sins – was Omar’s caution.
On this account, the Congress party already suffered a jolt after its spokesperson Deepika Singh had resigned just ahead of Yatra’s entry to J&K in protest against Singh’s likely participation (in Yatra).
Miffed over this treatment by Congress on this big occasion despite his contribution to ‘crowd-gathering’, Singh held Kashmir based parties responsible for this ignominy.
“Let me tell you, Kashmir-based parties will never allow Jammu to develop, prosper or form its own identity,” was one of his prickly remarks shared with the media.