Ghulam Nabi Azad set to float new political party in Jammu and Kashmir?

News Network
August 26, 2022

gulam.jpg

New Delhi, Aug 26: Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress today with a scathing critique of the Gandhis, mainly Rahul Gandhi, is likely to launch a new party in Jammu and Kashmir, sources say.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, say sources, is keen on a new outfit on his home turf. Soon after his resignation, five Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders quit in his support.

Sources close to Mr Azad say he wants to mark his presence in the region ahead of elections due later this year.

Mr Azad, 73, quit the party days after he rejected a post in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress saying his recommendations for appointments had been ignored. 

Today, the veteran leader slammed the Gandhis with a five-page resignation letter accusing Rahul Gandhi of "childish behaviour" and immaturity and of letting a "coterie of inexperienced sycophants" run the party.

Mr Azad wrote he joined the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir in the mid-1970s, "when it was still a taboo to be associated with the party, given its chequered history in the state from 8th August 1953 onwards - the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah being the nadir of its political myopia."

His resignation comes ahead of the 2024 national election and amid signs that the election of a new Congress chief will be delayed yet again. The Congress is focused towards a "Bharat Jodo Yatra" to be led by Rahul Gandhi next month.

Mr Azad, a former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member, was among the party's tallest leaders and the Congress's face in Jammu and Kashmir.

If he forms a new party, he has the option of tying up with regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir or partnering with the BJP, which would vastly gain from a face like Mr Azad in the region.

Before him, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also floated his party after quitting the Congress. He tied up with the BJP for the Punjab election but failed to make a mark.

Mr Azad is among the few leaders to enjoy goodwill across the spectrum. After his Rajya Sabha membership ended last year, Mr Azad reportedly received invites from parties like the Trinamool Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP.

However, his bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out.

The Prime Minister choked up during Mr Azad's Rajya Sabha farewell in parliament last year.

PM Modi shared an episode when they were both Chief Ministers - of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to a 2007 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on visitors from Gujarat. "I will never forget Shri Azad's efforts and Pranab Mukherjee's efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. That night...Ghulam Nabi Ji called me...," he recalled, fighting tears.

Describing Mr Azad as a true friend, the PM said: "I would not let you retire, I will continue taking your advice. My doors are always open for you."

Mr Azad later praised PM Modi during a speech in Jammu and said he hadn't forgotten his humble roots.

Mr Azad was a leading member of the "G-23" or the group of 23 leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 alleging a leadership drift and urging major reforms.

When he was honoured with a Padma Bhushan this year, many in the Congress said it was because of his proximity to the Prime Minister and the BJP.
 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
October 16,2024

flight.jpg

A Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight and Delhi-bound IndiGo flight received bomb threats on Wednesday, taking the number of such threats to 12 in three days.

An Akasa Air spokesperson said the flight QP 1335 had 177 persons, including 3 infants, and seven crew members on board. The flight returned to Delhi.

Meanwhile, IndiGo's 6E 651 Mumbai-Delhi flight was redirected to Ahmedabad. The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked, an IndiGo Spokesperson said.

Apart from an Air India Delhi-Chicago flight, the Dammam-Lucknow IndiGo flight, Ayodhya-Bengaluru Air India Express, a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai (SG116), an Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru (QP 1373) an Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight (9I 650) and an Air India Express flight (IX 684) from Madurai to Singapore received bomb threats on Tuesday.

On Monday, two IndiGo and one Air India flight received hoax threats. These included an Air India flight AI119 from Mumbai to New York's JFK Airport, and IndiGo flight 6E1275 bound for Muscat, and flight 6E56 heading to Jeddah.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee met at 11 am over the issue. This was preceded by a meeting called by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu with Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA officials.

According to sources some culprits have been identified and the dark web is also being monitored.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
October 15,2024

bomb.jpg

The international charity Save the Children has described the conditions in Gaza as akin to the “depths of hell,” saying the aggression on the besieged territory is in fact a “war on children” as nowhere is safe.

The Middle East regional director for Save the Children, Jeremy Stoner, in a statement on Monday said, “What we’re seeing now in Gaza looks like the depths of hell with reports day after day of attacks on children and families. Nowhere is safe.”

The British NGO issued a grave warning about the escalating crisis in Gaza, stating that “evacuation orders” could soon turn into “execution orders” as children face severe deprivation of essential resources for survival.

Stoner made the remarks while explaining about the dire humanitarian situation across Gaza. He noted that in the north of Gaza Strip, a desperate population has been deprived of food for two weeks, trapped in a perilous kill zone while trying to escape relentless bombings and gunfire.

Meanwhile, in the south, where families from the north sought refuge, Israeli airstrikes have ignited a devastating fire that is engulfing Al-Aqsa Hospital and surrounding tents, with reports of rescuers discovering the remains of burned victims.

“Never has it been clearer that this is a war on children, their protection only upheld if they’re deemed a risk to those beyond their borders,” the statement said.

It added that Save the Children begun a second round of polio vaccines for children in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza , as "children face bombs and fire just 500 meter away."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Stoner underlined the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and said that the absence of a ceasefire means that vaccinations for children merely delay their suffering instead of eliminating it.

“Without immediate international action, children and families across the Gaza Strip face a death sentence – today, tomorrow, in a week, in a month, by bombs, bullets, fire, disease or starvation. Anywhere, any time,” he said.

Stoner further raised concerns about humanity's moral compass, arguing those with the power and legal responsibility to intervene in this violence opt to remain passive, regretting that some member states have only responded by supplying weapons used to kill children and burn patients and families in hospitals and tents.

“Gaza is what can happen without the rules of war. Except there are rules – for parties to the conflict, and for the international community – which are not being respected,” the NGO said.

The Israeli aggression against Gaza which began in October last year has so far 42,289 people. Over 98,689 Gazans have also been injured since then.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
October 12,2024

seven.jpg

Udupi: In a significant operation, the Malpe police have arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals who were illegally residing in India using forged Aadhaar cards. Udupi Superintendent of Police, Dr. Arun K, stated that the arrests followed after an immigration incident involving one of the group's members.

Muhammed Manik, one of the arrested individuals, was caught attempting to travel to Dubai via Mangaluru International Airport with a fake passport. Alert immigration officers at the airport detained him and handed him over to the Bajpe police, who registered a case. Following this, the Udupi police, acting on the information provided by the Bajpe police and immigration authorities, conducted an investigation that led to the arrest of the seven individuals in Hoode village, Paduthonse, Udupi.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Hakeem Ali (24), Sujon S K alias Farooq (19), Ismail S K (30), Kareem S K (20), Salam S K (22), Rajikul S K (20), and Mohammed Sojib (20), all hailing from Bangladesh.

The group entered India without any valid documentation and managed to acquire fake Aadhaar cards, which they used to stay in the country illegally. According to police sources, a person named Kajol from Agartala assisted them in obtaining the fraudulent Aadhaar cards, while a Bangladeshi named Usman facilitated their illegal entry into India under the guise of employment. Both Kajol and Usman are currently at large.

The Malpe police have registered cases under several sections, including Sections 19(2), 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2), and 190 of the BNS, related to fraud and illegal entry. Interrogations are ongoing as the police seek further details in connection with the case.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.