Cong threatens to boycott cabinet meetings, demands NC apology

Congress today threatened to boycott cabinet meetings, demanding an unconditional apology from a senior leader of its coalition partner the National Conference (NC), for his "indecent and abusive utterances".
"Congress ministers will be asked to stay away from cabinet meetings until an apology is offered by (Additional General Secretary of NC Shiekh Mustafa Kamal) for his utterances (against the state Congress leadership)," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) said in a statement after an emergency meeting at the party headquarters here.
The meeting, which was chaired by party vice-president and MLC Ghulam Nabi Monga, condemned the statement of Kamal, brother of Union Minister Farooq Abdullah and uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and said it has become his habit to level allegations against Congress leadership.

Kamal had recently termed JKPCC president Saifuddin Soz a "political turncoat" and said NC had given him a high political place although he did not deserve it and accused him of betraying them.
He had also accused Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand of being knee-deep in corruption and termed him "a small fish" adding "even former Prime Minister Narsimha Rao found himself helpless before the law of the land".
"We demand an apology from the NC. It has become a habit of Kamal to accuse Congress leadership for no reasons and it seems that he doesn't want the coalition to run smoothly," the statement said.

The JKPCC said Kamal should know they are in power because of the Congress and he should go for self introspection.

"Congress is a secular party having history of more than 125 years, it is a people's party," the JKPCC said terming the statements of Kamal as "weightless".
"Soz doesn't need certificate from any person as people of the state and the country are well aware about his character and honesty," the statement said.
The statement urged the NC to expel Kamal for safeguarding the coalition.
"Congress demands an apology from NC and Kamal's expulsion from the party as he is a big threat to the coalition government," it added.