Congress demands airlifting of Kashmir-bound stranded passengers

JAMMU: As hundreds of stranded Kashmir-bound passengers held protests here today, state Congress leaders today helped them with food and demanded that the government make arrangements to airlift them to the Valley immediately.

Led by newly-appointed Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee ( JKPCC) President Gulam Ahmed Mir, the Congress leaders including MLAs visited the Jammu bus stand today and saw the miserable condition of passengers, who have been stranded at bus stand for the past over six days.

"We demand immediate airlifting of the passengers of Kashmir to the Valley, particularly those with illness and elderly, who are miserable suffering due to failure of the state government to come to their help," Mir told reporters.

"Some people particularly children and women are ill and some do not have money to eat food as they are mostly poor," he said.

The JKPCC Chief said, "They are languishing on roads and bus stand. No one from the government has made any effort to arrange for their food, eatbles, boarding and lodging."

Flanked by Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Nawang Rigzin Jora, Mir along with youth leaders arranged food for some stranded passengers particularly children, women and elderly people.

Congress with the help of hotel association members of Jammu arranged food and boarding in some hotels for the ill and infirm people.

Mir urged the government to take immediate measures to arrange for their food and shelter till the road is opened.

The Minister of State for Tourism Abdul Ghani Kohli today faced protests at the bus stand and stranded people held the government responsible for their miserable condition.

Amid protests, Kohli told reporters that he has directed the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) to provide free ride to the Kashmir-bound passengers once the road reopens.

On the demand of airlifting of passengers to the Valley, the minister said he will take up the issue with the Chief Minister.