By IANS,
Kolkata : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Thursday strongly backed Omar Abdullah, asserting that the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister needed time and support as he was doing a “tough and sensitive” job.
However, he declined to comment on revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Kashmir or intervene in that state’s affairs.
Addressing a media meet here on the concluding day of his three-day trip to West Bengal to rejuvenate the Youth Congress, Gandhi answered questions on a range of subjects, including the Congress’ ties with Trinamool Congress, the Maoist problem, land acquisition and price rise.
Gandhi said though the Congress wanted to partner the Trinamool in the West Bengal polls next year, it would go it alone if the party was not treated with respect.
The Congress leader also called for bridging the gap between two Indias – one for the rich with all amenities, and the other for the poor, without the basic necessities.
On the burning problem of Kashmir, Gandhi said: “Our government has supported Omar, who is the elected leader of the National Conference, our alliance partner in the state. The National Conference is the party in power. It is their decision as to who runs the show.
“Kashmir is a difficult place. I think Omar is doing a tough job… I think we have to give him some time and support. Kashmir is a tough and sensitive job,” he said.
Within hours, Abdullah thanked Gandhi for coming out in support. “I am grateful to Rajiv Gandhi for his support. I will thank him personally,” he told Times Now channel.
Gandhi’s comments came amid speculation that the Congress may be planning to ditch the National Conference and enter into a partnership with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kashmir.
PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi Wednesday in a bid to defuse the situation in Kashmir where at least 90 civilians have died in protests, mostly in firing by the security forces.
Asked if the controversial AFSPA should be withdrawn in Kashmir, Gandhi said: “It’s a bit wrong for me to have a position on this without having been there.
“I would defer to the prime minister on issues like AFSPA.”
Gandhi said he had no intention of intervening in Kashmir as that was not a “part time job” and he had been assigned the task of rejuvenating the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India (NSUI).
He said the youths of Jammu of Kashmir needed to be brought into the political system in greater numbers.
Gandhi said the Congress would not bow its head, though it wanted to hold hands with Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee. “We are in partnership with (Trinamool chief) Mamata Banerjee. We will together fight the Left Front, which is the single biggest problem in West Bengal. We want to continue the alliance with her. But we will not do so, if we are not respected. That is my personal view,” Gandhi said.
He, however, described as an “exaggeration” the CPI-M’s repeated allegations about Banerjee being hand in glove with the Maoists.
He also described as “unfair” suggestions that Banerjee was opposing every single policy of the United Progressive Alliance government in New Delhi in which the Trinamool is the second largest partner.
On the Maoist issue, Gandhi admitted that poverty and lack of connectivity were among the causes behind the menace caused by the Leftwing extremists in the country and felt political connectivity was needed to tackle the problem.
To a query on land acquisition, Gandhi said the benefits of developmental projects should also go to the poor. He favoured the Haryana model of land acquisition. “Haryana has a policy, which is quite a powerful policy, where all the people share the benefits.”
Referring to the land acquisition amendment bill which has been held up following resistance from Mamata Banerjee, Gandhi said the differences were related to only how much land the government will acquire.
On inflation, he said: “The prices are coming down and the inflation rate has come down to 8.5 percent.”