CHANDIGARH, JULY 27: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) has given an ultimatum to the BJP-led government for shutting down Delhi-Lahore bus service by August 15, in the wake of infiltration of Pakistani regulars and militants in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, IYC president Manish Tewari warned that the Youth Congress activists would hold demonstrations, though peaceful, if the government failed to halt the bus service.
He charged the Vajpayee-led BJP government of having failed to respond to information about infiltration in the Kargil sector even when the bus service was being introduced. He termed the bus service as a "personal glory" of Vajpayee.
He charged the government of criminal negligency as over 400 lives of soldiers had been lost due to the short-sightedness of the government, as it failed to check infiltrations.
Tewari said the Youth Congress had launched a massive programme to highlight the failures of the Vajpayee government. While 43rallies in various parts of the country have already taken place, the Youth Congress would hold a rally in Chandigarh’s Sector 22 Nehru Park on August 8.
Regarding the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, he said the IYC had urged the Congress high command to give an opportunity to young and fresh faces for contesting the polls. He hoped that the youth, between the age group of 25 to 40 years, would be given about 100 tickets in the polls.
The Youth Congress would also hold a conference on "What India should be in the 21st century" at FICCI auditorium on August 30, which will be addressed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.