China’s aggressive posture, infiltrations by Pakistan have led to ‘deterioration’ in J&K security: Congress

New Delhi, October 16: The Congress on Saturday said the aggressive posture of China and the unabated infiltrations by Pakistan have resulted in a “dramatic deterioration” in the security situation of Jammu & Kashmir.
In a resolution on the political situation in the country, the Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body, expressed alarm over what it said was “rapid deterioration” in the security of the country — both external and internal.

“Nearly 18 months after the clashes in Ladakh in which 20 soldiers lost their lives, Chinese troops continue to be in occupation of Indian territory,” the resolution said.
“Despite multiple rounds of talks, China has not vacated Indian territory, nor have we been able to recover our old positions,” it claimed.
The CWC said the aggressive posture of China and the unabated infiltrations by Pakistan have resulted in a dramatic deterioration of the security of Jammu & Kashmir.
“After the change in regime in Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban, the situation is even graver, but the Government remains oblivious or in deep slumber,” the resolution alleged.
Terrorist attacks have increased and both security forces and innocent citizens have lost their lives, it said.
“The administration of J&K, or whatever goes in the name of administration, is incompetent, paralysed and in a shambles. The way forward is restoration of full statehood and holding democratic elections,” the Congress said.
It also stated that in other parts of the country, notably in Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram, there are growing threats to security.
“Inter-state disputes have flared up suddenly driving fear in the minds of the people living in the border villages. The Naga peace talks have suffered a serious setback due to the ham-handed approach of the Modi government,” the party said.

India no longer regarded democracy, has earned ‘electoral autocracy’ label
The Congress on Saturday claimed that India is no longer regarded as a democracy and has earned the label of an “electoral autocracy”, as it called upon all democratic parties to join hands in resolutely opposing the Modi government.
In a resolution on the political situation in the country, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) said the “assault on democratic institutions completes the sad and shameless narrative of the Modi government”.
“India is no longer regarded as a democracy, it has earned the label of an electoral autocracy. Parliament has been contemptuously disregarded. The judiciary has been debilitated by not filling vacancies in courts and tribunals,” the CWC said.
The Congress alleged that independent watchdog bodies like the Information Commission, the Election Commission and the Human Rights Commission have been “debased and rendered virtual ciphers”.
The media has been threatened into meek submission through raids and false cases, it claimed.
“Non-government organisations (NGOs) have been intimidated and their welfare activities have been halted. The government’s agencies have been widely misused to suppress the voice of the people,” the resolution alleged.

Election of Congress president to be held between Aug 21-Sept 20 next year
Election of the new Congress president will be held between August 21 and September 20 next year, the party announced on Saturday after the crucial meeting of its working committee which approved the schedule for organisational polls at various levels.
After a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal announced at a press conference that the election schedule, which includes enrolment of members for organisational polls on payment of Rs 5 each, will start from November 1, 2021 and go on till March 31, 2022.
District Congress Committees shall publish preliminary list of members together with the list of eligible contestants for participation in the election. This list will be published before April 15, 2022 i.e. between April 1 and April 15.
Election of president and executive of primary committees and block Committees, and election of block presidents, executive committees and one member of the PCC by block Congress committee will be held between April 16 and May 31, 2022.
The election of presidents, vice presidents, treasurers and executive committee of DCC will be held between June 1 and July 20 next year.
Venugopal also stated that election of PCC presidents, vice presidents, treasurers, PCC executives and AICC members by PCC general body will be held between July 21 and August 20, 2022.
Election of Congress president will be held between August 21-September 20, 2022, he said.
Venugopal also announced that election of CWC members and other bodies by AICC members will take place at a plenary session dates for which will be announced later, preferably in the month of September or October next year.

The CWC also discussed and decided to observe a ground mass agitation and awareness programme — ‘Jan Jagran Abhiyan — across the country on runaway inflation and price rise between November 14 and November 29.
Through, this mass awareness and contact programme, the party workers would reach out to the maximum number of people and create awareness on bad handling of economy by the central government.
The CWC also passed three resolutions, one on the political situation, and two others on inflation and a “diabolical attack” on India’s farmers, Venugopal said at a press conference with the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala by his side at the AICC headquarters here.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, three Congress chief ministers, among others, attended the meeting, the first such physical meet of the CWC since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.