J-K Congress condemns attack on former CM Farooq Abdullah, seeks accountability
Jammu (PTI): The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Thursday strongly condemned the murderous attack on former chief minister Farooq Abdullah in Jammu and said “those entrusted with maintaining law and order must be held accountable”.
Abdullah had a narrow escape when a gunman allegedly opened fire at him from behind while he was leaving a marriage function at Greater Kailash on the outskirts of Jammu on Wednesday night.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, were also accompanying Abdullah when the incident occurred.
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The accused, identified as 63-year-old Kamal Singh Jamwal, a resident of Purani Mandi in Jammu, was arrested and told police that he had been waiting for an opportunity to target Abdullah for the past 20 years.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra termed the incident shocking and said it raised serious concerns about the prevailing security situation in the region.
“Strongly condemn the shocking firing incident on former CM Farooq Abdullah and other senior leaders …Such acts of violence are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the prevailing security scenario in the region,” Karra said in a post on X.
He said the increasing criminalisation and lawlessness cannot be ignored.
“Those entrusted with maintaining law and order must be held accountable. The people deserve safety, stability, and a secure environment, and it is the responsibility of the administration to ensure that such incidents are not repeated,” he said.
All India Congress general secretary and Congress Legislative Party leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir also condemned the incident, describing such occurrences at public places as unfortunate.
“Such incidents are unfortunate. The security setup should investigate how this happened. The matter needs to be addressed,” Mir said.
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Kharge calls NDA ‘opportunist alliance thriving on corruption’ at rally
Puducherry (PTI): Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said the NDA "is an opportunist alliance that thrives on corruption and the looting of public assets".
Addressing a rally of the INDIA bloc in Puducherry, the Congress president said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "had done nothing" for the union territory’s development.
He urged voters to back the INDIA bloc in the April 9 Assembly polls, calling it "an opportunity for the people to fight against divisive forces led by the BJP and RSS, which are destroying unity, harmony, and the progressive spirit of Puducherry."
Kharge also criticised the BJP for neglecting smaller states like Puducherry and made a strong case for granting it statehood, promising, "Congress will secure statehood—this is a guarantee we give to the people here".
He alleged that under the current AINRC-BJP coalition, Puducherry is "riddled with corruption and a 30 per cent commission system," with the NDA government exploiting the union territory, despite it being "one of the country’s most beautiful places".
He expressed concern over "misuse of funds and stalled development", alleging corruption had "seeped into every sector".
Kharge claimed that despite Prime Minister Modi’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, "everything in practice is being handed to one person, Adani—from land to skies."
He added that the NDA was "exploiting land, temple lands, and public property."
The Congress leader also criticised the AINRC-BJP rule for granting permits for around 450 liquor shops and restaurants over the last five years, claiming, "Instead of providing clean water, the government has been giving liquor to the people."
Kharge compared the current situation with the previous Congress rule, highlighting development across sectors, particularly healthcare. "Hospitals were established here to take care of the health of the people," he said.
Among his promises, Kharge pledged "gold for mangala sutra" for women if Congress is elected, along with free education from primary school to research level.
He reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promises to Puducherry had not materialised and renewed his call for full statehood, citing the lack of powers as a "hindrance" to the elected government.
He recalled that during the previous Congress rule, then Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who was also present, faced interference from then Lt Governor Kiran Bedi.
Kharge said Congress has always stood with the people and would continue to improve their lives through developmental programmes, as it had during earlier administrations.
The meeting was presided over by Puducherry PCC president V Vaithilingam, and among the speakers was S P Sivakumar of the DMK.
