Jammu, February 23:-(KNS)   JKPCC Chief Shri GHULAM AHMAD MIR  has said that Congress party is the only truly secular, democratic and progressive force which can keep Jammu and Kashmir on the path of peace, progress and harmony while the forces of hatred would create wedge in the society and the regions for vote bank politics.
Mir was addressing a function at Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters, Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu, in which he and other Senior functionaries of the party  formally admitted and welcomed the several prominent activists from BJP alongwith their supporters in to the Congress party. 
Those present on the occasion were Shri  Mula Ram,  Shri Raman Bhalla (Vice Presidents), Ravinder Sharma-Chief Spokesperson, Rajnish Sharma-Co-treasurer, Yogesh Sawhney, Th. Manmohan Singh (General Secretaries), DCC president Jammu Rural Shri Hari Singh Chib, Sanjeev Sharma-Secretary, Balbir  Choudhary, Vinay Shastri and others.
Shri G.A. Mir while welcoming them to the Congress party, extensively dealt with emerging political scenario in Jammu & Kashmir, where Congress party is fast emerging as the only choice of people because of its progressive, democratic and secular policies. He said that secularism is the strength of Indian Nation and only Congress can lead the erstwhile state and the nation to the path of peace, progress and prosperity by strengthening secular fabric and maintaining communal harmony, while asserting  that the grand old party is a force to reckon and welcomed the joining of more and more important leaders from other political parties.
Stating that majority population of Jammu and Kashmir opted for the secular country-India defeating all advances of neighbouring ‘Islamic State’ and J&K is and shall always remain an integral part of India, Shri Mir said that there is no place for politics of exploitation and negative politics, as people of the erstwhile state appreciate and participate in the vibrant democracy of this great nation for a better future and good governance. However until the status of statehood with all consequential rights and the popular government is restored people’s unrest will not end. People feel cheated, divided, deprived, downgraded with loss of dignity, status and genuine tights, which was never expected by them even in dream.
He said that people of J&K had the distinction of not only rejecting the two nation theory of Jinnah but fighting against the Pakistan sponsored raiders in 1947 to defeat the designs of Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir has the distinction of being the most religious harmonious place in the country against grave provocations and the long spell of terrorism.
He appealed the people to look back to the history of traditional harmony, peace and secularism and reject the forces of exploitation and hatred for a better future, for which Congress is the truly secular, democratic, nationalist and progressive force to lead the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the path progress and prosperity alongwith rest of the country.
The leaders who joined Congress party include Gansham- Chairman Border Welfare and Kissan leader, Romesh Lal, Sanjeev Mathur-Adv,  Dr. Parmjeet Sharma Kathur, Manhoor Lal –Ex Naib Sarpanch; Dhani Ram, Surinder Kumar Kathur, Bhagwan Dass, Kapil Dere Verma, Ravi Kant, Rohit Sharma, Anil Kumar, Ranjeet Kumar, Romesh Kumar, Rakesh kumar, Nazir Ahmed, Gopal Singh, Anita Devi, Som Dutt.(KNS)