New Delhi: Despite serious internal differences over its stand on abrogation of Article 370, the Congress party would participate in a protest called by Opposition parties on Kashmir on August 22. The party would be represented by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The Opposition agitation at Jantar Mantar is the first such event since the rout suffered by the Opposition parties in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Other leaders of the Opposition who would be attending the protest are the RJD’s Misa Bharti, Trinamul Congress’ Derek O’ Brien, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D Raja. Though the SP has confirmed its presence, it was not known who would represent the party.
“The protest has been called against the arrest of the political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir,” a senior leader of DMK, which has called the meet said.
Mr Azad, who tried to enter Jammu and Kashmir even on Tuesday, but was sent back, has been among a section of leaders in the Congress which has opposed the scrapping of Article 370 in Parliament as well as outside in party forum.
However, another section, led by many prominent leaders like former MPs Jyotiraditya Scindia, Deepinder Hooda and Milind Deora have come out strongly against this stand claiming that the ground feeling among masses was different and the Congress stood to lose politically by taking this position.
Former chief minister of Haryana Bhupinder Hooda on Sunday went public with his grievances at a rally in Rohtak where he said that he had no hesitation in supporting the government on abrogation of Article 370 and that the Congress had lost its path.
