Early Times Report
Jammu, June 20: Even as dissident leaders in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress have temporarily suspended their parallel activities following a stern warning from the party high command, the three-member inquiry committee constituted by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) is set to arrive in Srinagar on Sunday to begin its investigation into allegations of factionalism, indiscipline, and anti-party activities within the party. Highly placed sources said the fact-finding panel will remain in Srinagar for two days and hold extensive interactions with senior party leaders, office-bearers, district-level functionaries, and other stakeholders to assess the prevailing situation within the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC). According to sources, the committee is expected to meet several leaders individually to gather first-hand accounts and obtain feedback regarding the alleged anti-party activities of certain dissident leaders who have been accused of undermining the party's organisational structure and creating parallel power centres within the Congress. “The committee will interact with leaders from different regions and factions to understand the nature of the grievances, verify complaints, and assess the extent of organisational indiscipline. The objective is to present an unbiased report to the party high command,” sources said. Sources further disclosed that the inquiry panel has already directed party leaders and office-bearers to submit authentic and verifiable evidence regarding alleged acts of indiscipline and activities considered detrimental to the interests of the organisation. The evidence being sought includes records of parallel meetings, public statements against the party leadership, organisational decisions allegedly taken without approval, and other instances that may have contributed to internal discord within the JKPCC. The committee is expected to scrutinise the material submitted by various leaders before preparing its final report for the Congress high command. Party insiders said the findings of the inquiry could play a crucial role in determining future disciplinary action against those found guilty of violating party discipline or engaging in activities that weakened the organisation. The visit of the inquiry panel comes at a time when dissident leaders, who had been holding separate meetings and public programmes in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, have reportedly suspended such activities after intervention by the party's central leadership. The temporary truce has helped ease tensions within the party, but Congress leaders acknowledge that underlying differences remain unresolved and require a comprehensive review by the AICC-appointed committee. Sources said the high command is keen to restore organisational unity in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of future political challenges and wants to ensure that internal disputes do not adversely affect the party's prospects in the Union Territory. The All India Congress Committee had recently constituted the three-member inquiry committee to investigate complaints of factionalism, anti-party activities, and organisational indiscipline in the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the party. The committee is headed by Shaktisinh Gohil as Convener, while Dr Amar Singh and Rafeek Khan are its members. The panel has been tasked with examining the allegations, identifying the causes behind the growing factionalism within the JKPCC, and recommending measures to strengthen organisational discipline and unity. Party leaders believe the committee's report will shape the Congress high command's future strategy in Jammu and Kashmir and may lead to significant organisational decisions aimed at restoring cohesion within the party ranks. |