AICC minority cell leader Khan triggers major row in J&K with his 'pro-militant' remarks

A senior Congress leader in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered a major controversy in the state with his statement that if his party comes to power, it will pay Rs one crore and give a government job to the kin of those killed in Kashmir in the name of terrorism.

Sounding sympathetic to Kashmiri militants, Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan, a minority cell observer of the All India Congress Committee, also promised Wednesday the release of militants after withdrawal of cases against them, if the Congress comes to power.

Asserting that Kashmir has become a killing field under the BJP rule, Khan also said "a new law would be made to hang BJP leaders, involved in killings of the people (in Kashmir)".

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), however, rejected Khan's statement, saying he had no mandate of the party to make any statement on its policy matter without consulting the JKPCC.

Disowning Khan's statement, JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, in a statement, said the Congress party's stand is clear that terrorism has to be dealt with sternly and there cannot be any compromise on the issue of security and safety of the people.

Attacking the Congress party over the Khan's pro-terror statement, the BJP's J&K unit spokesperson, Brigadier (Retd) Anil Gupta Thursday asserted that AICC minority cell observer Khan has the blessing of Rahul Gandhi and he needed no mandate of the JKPCC to make any statement.

Pointing out that Khan had made the statement at the JKPCC's official press conference at its JKPCC at Shaheedi Chowk, Jammu in presence of a JKPCC general secretary, Brig (Retd) Gupta the Congress party has sought to disown the statement as "an afterthought".

"Can anyone believe that a guest from New Delhi would make a statement against the party ideology, in its official press conference in the presence of a JKPCC general secretary?" Gupta asked.

"Does he (Khan) need any mandate from the JKPCC when he enjoys the blessings of Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the AICC? he asked.

He said "it is a clear-cut face saving exercise but is deemed to fail because the people are convinced of pro-terror and pro-Pak mindset of the Congress."