Srinagar, Sep 20 (IANS) J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president and legislator Tariq Hameed Karra on Sunday said the Congress will continue to raise people’s genuine concerns in the Assembly, despite its alliance with the ruling National Conference (NC).
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of Congress MLAs ahead of tomorrow’s legislative Assembly session, Karra clarified that while the party is in alliance with the NC, it will not refrain from raising public issues.
“We will take up genuine concerns and ensure they are expedited,” he said.
Karra emphasised that the Assembly’s purpose is to raise questions and ensure issues concerning people are addressed at the earliest, whether raised by ruling party members or the opposition.
He added that the Congress legislature party meeting was held to discuss the upcoming session.
Asked about recent differences with the NC over issues including Vande Mataram and UPI, Karra said the party’s position should be viewed in the broader context of its alliance.
He argued that the media was seeing the issue from a narrow perspective.
“We took that alliance as a principled stand, keeping in mind the larger picture,” he said, stressing that the alliance would not prevent the Congress from raising public concerns.
“Being in an alliance does not mean that we will not raise people’s issues. Being in an alliance does not mean that we will not talk about people’s legitimate demands. So there is no connection between that and this,” Karra said.
Reports suggest Chief Minister Omar Abdullah offered the Congress a cabinet berth, but the party has maintained it will not join the J&K cabinet unless statehood is restored to J&K.
–IANS
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