KNS DESK

Srinagar, Oct 22 (KNS): Senior Congress leader and Dooru-Shahabad MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Thursday described his party’s campaign against alleged electoral manipulation and the BJP-led government at the Centre as a second freedom movement, saying the struggle would continue until those responsible for undermining democracy were held accountable.

Speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS) following a district review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Anantnag, Mir said the Congress campaign was not a one-day protest but a sustained political movement that would intensify with a major gathering at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

“We have not raised this issue for an event or for a day. This is as important for the Congress Party as our fight against the British before Independence. We consider it equal to that struggle. This is Freedom Movement 2,” Mir said.

The Congress leader accused those running the country of pursuing a policy of division rather than governing all sections of society equally.

He alleged that electoral processes had been manipulated to secure political victories, claiming that questions surrounding elections in several states had raised serious concerns about the functioning of democracy.

“They want to run the country by dividing and ruling. They have adopted the backdoor route, whether in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections,” Mir alleged.

Referring to Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, he claimed that developments surrounding elections in these states had brought the issue into sharper focus.

Mir said the campaign had moved beyond the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc and had become a wider national concern.

“This is no longer only the issue of the Congress Party or Rahul Gandhi. It is not only the issue of the INDIA bloc. It is an issue concerning the entire country,” he said.

He claimed that people were increasingly questioning how electoral victories had been secured and alleged that democratic institutions had been undermined.

The allegations were made by the Congress leader during the interview and were not accompanied by evidence establishing electoral wrongdoing.

Mir said the first major demonstration of the next phase of the campaign would take place at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on November 1.

He also referred to another programme scheduled for November 25 and indicated that the movement would continue during the subsequent parliamentary period.

“You will see the first glimpse on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. It will not end with that gathering. There is another programme on November 25, and the movement will continue,” he said.

The Congress leader maintained that the campaign would continue until accountability was established for what he described as attempts to undermine the country's democratic system.

Earlier, speaking about the district review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mir said the exercise had revived the practice of holding comprehensive district-level reviews involving ministers, legislators, departmental heads and senior officials.

He said the meeting began with a presentation of action-taken reports on demands raised by legislators during the previous year and a half, followed by a review of departmental allocations, expenditure and pending development works.

According to Mir, the meeting provided an opportunity to assess the government's response to earlier demands and examine the progress of projects approved for different Assembly constituencies.

He said legislators also raised fresh concerns relating to roads, infrastructure, public services and the utilisation of development funds.

Highlighting a major issue raised collectively by legislators, Mir said each Assembly constituency had been allocated 11 kilometres of road macadamisation during the current year, but work had remained severely restricted because of difficulties involving mining and raids.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“Against the 11 kilometres allotted to each Assembly segment, only about three to three-and-a-half kilometres could be completed in most places. The remaining eight kilometres could not be taken up,” he said.

Mir said the issue had affected constituencies across Jammu and Kashmir, leaving funds earmarked for road improvements unutilised.

He said the meeting decided that the money remaining unspent on these works should be utilised for other public requirements rather than allowed to remain idle.

“That was the biggest decision, so that the money does not go to waste,” he said.

The Congress leader also raised concerns over delays in executing works sanctioned under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

He said some contractors were securing projects by submitting unusually low bids but subsequently failing to begin work, despite the availability of funds.

Mir said directions were issued that contractors who failed to commence work within a month of receiving a contract should be removed from the tender process so that other contractors could be engaged.

“The money is available, but execution is the problem. Those who take contracts at low rates and do not start work within a month should be removed so that work can move forward,” he said.

Referring to demands concerning his Dooru-Shahabad constituency, Mir said he had again raised the need for a fire service facility in the Shahabad area.

He said the feasibility of the proposed facility had already been examined, but the matter required coordination with the Home Department, which falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Lieutenant Governor.

According to Mir, the Chief Minister directed that the proposal be taken up with the Home Secretary for further consideration.

He also raised the issue of putting the old hospital building at Dooru to productive use.

Mir said the Chief Minister directed the concerned authorities to examine and ensure the utilisation of the existing hospital infrastructure.

On the proposed mini-secretariat at Dooru, he said the Chief Minister informed the meeting that the project had already been processed and would be completed.

Mir further said demands for the construction of slaughterhouses in two towns were placed before the meeting and received agreement in principle.

The review also covered pending road and bridge works under various schemes, including NABARD, CRIF and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Mir said several roads constructed under PMGSY eight to ten years ago had completed their prescribed maintenance periods and were now suffering from damaged surfaces and erosion.

He said the issue required a fresh mechanism for repairs because the original maintenance obligations had expired.

According to the MLA, the Chief Minister directed that the matter be taken up with the concerned department to explore further action.

Mir said the district review meeting also examined department-wise expenditure and the status of development works, with legislators presenting constituency-specific and common demands.

He welcomed the practice of reviewing action-taken reports on earlier commitments, saying it provided a mechanism to assess whether decisions taken during previous meetings had been implemented.

The Chief Minister also initiated or laid foundation stones for development projects worth approximately Rs 52 crore during the visit, according to the interviewer’s account.

Mir said such reviews were important for ensuring that approved projects translated into work on the ground and that public funds did not remain unutilised because of administrative or execution-related delays. (KNS)