(This is a reprint from NewsBred).
Saifuddin Soz is no ordinary Congress leader. Since 1980s, he's often been in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha either on National Conference or Congress representation. A multiple-time Union minister, the last time under Manmohan Singh's UPA between 2006-2009, he was one of the front-runners for the post of Vice-President in 2007 and 2012.
Soz draws his heft because of his influence in the
Soz is now in news because of his new book. By claiming
that the first choice of Kashmiris is independence, a stance similar to
terrorists and secessionists for three decades now, he has put the glare on his
party. Congress is also under the lens because the dreaded terrorist
organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) run by Hafiz Saeed from
In case the readers need a reminder, LeT has been banned as a
terrorist organization by US, UK, European Union, Russia, Australia and of
course India. Its stated objective is secession of
Congress has further earned the ire of millions of Indians
because one of its senior leaders, Ghulab Nabi Azad, once the Chief Minister of
Congress may yet take action against Soz or slap the wrist of Azad. But discerners see no sign from them on standing next to the brave and beleaguered Indian army. Their human rights begins and ends on Kathua; there is never a word of praise when our jawans gun down a terrorist; never a drop of tear for their martyrdom or wailing widows.
On June 22, our security forces killed 4 terrorists identified with Islamic State (IS) in Anantnag district. In view of the oncoming Amarnath Yatra, starting this week (June 28), it was a laudatory achievement. The whole nation stood up as one to applaud the action. But how did Congress react???
I looked for reactions on Congress' official stand on the matter and how its leaders have reacted. The Congress' twitter handle has nothing on Soz or Azad or terrorists tackled: all it has is a retweet of PC Chidambaram and his concern "Will-there-be-a-war-with-Pakistan?" This time-tested tactics is to weaken the resolve of Indian state, peddle appeasement, which in turn is an invitation to secessionist forces for the next strike.
Rahul Gandhi's tweets? No mention. In any case the Congress supreme tweets once in two days. And when he does it is to run down Modi and his government. Shashi Tharoor? Blank.
And what about the partners Congress' could be in bed with for upcoming elections? That mahagathbandan to "save democracy" in the country? Mamta Bannerjee? Blank. Akhilesh Yadav? Blank. Sitaram Yechury? Blank. Arvind Kejriwal? Blank. None of them have anytime for our forces; the sacrifices they make; the goals they achieve; the threats and cost they pay to themselves and their families. It is no different to the length these forces went to deny the "surgical strike."
The message that goes across is alarming: that secessionists are acceptable but not our soldiers; that a terrorists' life is valuable while the ones of soldiers is not; that India-breakers have unconditional support while those for India-Unity can go and jump from the Himalayas.
You may have a like or dislike for Narendra Modi; you may
feel elated or cheated on account of his term so far; but you can't be standing
in support of secessionist forces. Those who want to rule
(Post-script: While the readers ponder over the piece; it's worth dropping a line on Tariq Hammed Karra who is a "Pakistan proxy" and "recently joined the Congress in the presence of Smt. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi," as Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out in his press conference on Friday.
While you rush to google the man called Karra, keep this in the back of your mind that Lutyens Media more or less blanked out Prasad-on-Karra comments. But more on this, some other day, some other time.)