According to J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Tariq Hamid Karra, his son Waleed attended the meeting pertaining to developmental issues. “He didn’t attend assembly meeting,” he says.
Opposing the “presence of the son of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president and MLA Tariq Hameed Karra in a government review meeting” in Kashmir, the BJP on Thursday termed it “political nepotism”.
“The presence of Waleed Karra, son of MLA Tariq Hamid Karra, in a high-level government review meeting in Srinagar is a blatant example of political nepotism and a gross violation of democratic norms,” BJP statesman Altaf Thakur said. Why is an unelected individual allowed to participate in an official meeting meant for elected representatives and senior bureaucrats? he questioned. “Who authorised his presence? Why did no one object to this protocol breach?” he asked.
The BJP leader said certain politicians in Jammu and Kashmir treated governance as their “family fiefdom”. “We want an immediate clarification from the government. Chief minister Omar Abdullah should take strict action. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a transparent and accountable administration, not a dynastic rule by proxy,” Thakur said, adding that such incidents “erode public trust and make a mockery of governance”.
A few days ago, a video went viral on social media in which Waleed Karra was purportedly shown inspecting a health facility in Srinagar.
When contacted, JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra said Waleed is authorised as in charge of the constituency with regard to developmental issues. “There have been nominated representatives for Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, Mufti Mohammed Syeed, Mehbooba Mufti and others in Jammu and Kashmir. Even the Prime Minister must have been represented by his nominated representative for developmental works. Can the BJP show how many times PM Modi attended meetings pertaining to lanes and drains in his parliamentary constituency?” he questioned.
Karra further added that Waleed was authorised to attend meeting pertaining to developmental issues, not the assembly meetings. NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar too refused to comment. Waleed’s father got elected from Shalteng assembly last year. He has also been MP from Srinagar when he was in the PDP. Tariq Karra left the PDP after the party forged an alliance with the BJP and formed a coalition government in 2019. Tariq Karra, who was one of the founding members of the PDP, was made J&K Pradesh Congress president last year.
