The hungry must wait for the show to begin

According to Youth Congress sources, the two leaders were expected to arrive on July 10, but due to some delay, they are now expected arrive on July 15.The commodities, which were meant to reach the half-fed migrants, would soon perish. But, the political leaders here don’t care much for the food as much for their political image in Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee sources say the essential commodities is beingcollected here so that when Azad arrives, the same could be sent to the affected areas not only to capitalise on it but also to demean his opponents.

The essential commodities, including rice, flour, ghee, potatoes, onions, sugar, tea, pulses, etc, are dumped at the godown of one of the J&K Pradesh Youth Congress vice-presidents at Bari Brahmna, about 12 km from here."It will be a big show. Though we are likely to receive more trucks, there should be enough material with us when Azad visits the migrant camps," says PYC chief Yogesh Sawhney. He also confirmed that whatever material has been received for the migrants would not be despatched to them unless Azad arrived here.

Of the four truckloads received by the J&K Pradesh Youth Congress here, two truck are from UP Congress relief committee, one from Delhi Pradesh Congress relief committee and one from Punjab Pradesh Youth Congress.

"I don’t know what they are up to. The whole nation is ready to sacrifice anything at this crucial juncture but our leadersare still engaged in the game of one-upmanship," said a PCC leader. He wondered if the relief items would be fit for consumption, when they reach the people they are meant for."Even if the items don’t perish by then, what is the point in holding them back here. No body knows whether the relief which should have reached the victims 10 days back would ever be reaching them due to the internal politics of the Congress," he said.

Another PCC leader, requesting anonymity, said it is unlikely that the relief would ever reach the victims, if it is to be sent only after the "flagging off ceremony" is performed by Azad and Tiwari. "Tiwari is CWC member Rajesh Pilot loyalist. And Pilot, as you know, is Azad’s bete noire. Tiwari does not want to be associated with Azad, which is why their programme is not materialising. In the process, the migrants are suffering," he said.

Sources said the trucks had been flagged off by AICC president Sonia Gandhi in Tiwari’s presence at New Delhi for those who have migrated tosafer places in view of the firing from across the border. However, Azad wielded his influence by routing the relief consignments through the Pradesh Youth Congress instead of its parent body, PCC.

Sources in the Pradesh Congress said the whole exercise was to be managed by the Relief Committee constituted by the AICC. "A member of the Relief Committee, SC Vats, who is close to Azad, might have been influenced to route it through the PYC, to embarrass the parent body in the State," said a PCC member.

He said senior members are quite annoyed with the manner in which the relief exercise is being conducted by the AICC but are reluctant to openly express their feelings at this juncture. "It hardly matters whether the relief is received by the PCC or Youth Congress. The most important thing is it’s proper distribution. If the items are not supplied to the migrants properly, and in time it is highly objectionable," said Mangat Ram Sharma, vice-president, PCC.

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