The Congress presence in Jammu and Kashmir seems to be on a shaky ground after veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad’s shock exit followed by an exodus of his loyalists last month. Now, another seasoned leader from the erstwhile state seems to have strained ties with the grand old party despite being a member since 1967. Maharaja Hari Singh’s son and party leader Karan Singh on Friday said his relations with the party were “almost zero”.
Singh also wasted no time in thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the long pending demand of his father’s birth anniversary on September 23 being declared a public holiday was finally realised. But, the former Rajya Sabha MP said there had been no contact with the Congress in the last eight to 10 years, and especially after he was dropped from the party’s working committee.
He congratulated the young generation of Jammu as the Maharaja’s birthday was declared a public holiday. “I’m delighted. It happened after a lot of effort. I congratulate the young generation of Jammu that carried forward the efforts. They did it together, nobody opposed,” Singh told news agency YEARS.
There were massive celebrations at various places in Jammu as people danced to drumbeats and distributed sweets following the declaration. Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha said the decision had been taken in view of the aspirations and feelings of the people and the great contribution of the Maharaja. “The public holiday will be a fitting tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s rich legacy,” he observed.
On his ties with the Congress, however, Singh said, “I had joined the Congress in 1967. But in last eight to 10 years, I’m no more in Parliament and was dropped from the working committee. Yes, I’m in the Congress but there’s no contact and nobody asks me anything. I do my own work. My relations with the party are almost zero now.”
He added: “When my sons Ajatshatru and Vikramaditya were members of the legislative council, they had made the House pass a resolution about the holiday. Nobody carried it forward. I’d like to thank PM (Narendra) Modi; I too had written to him for it.”
Maharaja Hari Singh was the last ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, and his son had endorsed the demand of the locals to declare September 23, his birth anniversary, a public holiday. Local residents, particularly those from the Rajput community, have been protesting over the past fortnight in Jammu city with the demand to declare September 23 a public holiday in honour of the last Maharaja. “There has been a long-standing demand and agitation among youths in Jammu for a holiday on the birthday of my respected father Maharaja Hari Singh ji, which I strongly support,” Singh had said.
(With PTI inputs)
Read all the Latest Politics News and Breaking News here