Cong leaders yet to reply to notice

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 10

Although the deadline given by the party leadership expired three days ago, none of the Congress leaders have responded to the show-cause notices served to them for meeting with delegation of the European Union (EU) parliamentarians.

On October 30, the Congress leadership had served show-cause notices to former minister and ex-MLA Usman Majid, state general secretary Surinder Singh Channi and spokesman of the party Farooq Andrabi for meeting the EU delegation without seeking prior permission.

The party had asked them to give a reply of the show-cause notices within a week’s time for their ‘unwarranted’ action.

Sources said during the recent visit of AICC general secretary Ambika Soni at Jammu, this issue was discussed in the meeting but the party was not unanimous on taking action against erring leaders.

“I am not going to reply to the show-cause notice because there is nothing wrong in meeting any person in personal capacity”, one of the leader said, adding, “Being a political worker we can meet any visiting delegation to express our own viewpoint”.

On condition of anonymity, he expressed surprise over the decision of the local leadership to serve him a show-cause notice. “All leaders to whom show-cause notices have been served have decided not to reply”, he said and revealed that during the meeting with the EU parliamentarians at Srinagar he had briefed them about the prevailing situation in the Valley.

He pointed out they had met the EU delegation in different capacities so there was no reason for the party leadership to intervene and seek explanations.

The Congress, which had condemned the Union Government for allowing EU parliamentarians to visit the Valley while denying permission to Indian parliamentarians, faced embarrassment when its three leaders met the delegation. Within hours after their meeting, the party leadership had served show-cause notices to them.

The Congress leadership had mentioned that the trio should not meet the delegations because they were senior leaders of the party and holding important position in the organisation.