With Cong rally,mainstream politicians return to Shopian

Congress on Sunday became the first mainstream political party in J&K to organise a rally in Shopian town that was rocked by a series of protests

Congress became the first mainstream political party in J&K to organise a rally in Shopian town that was rocked by a series of protests over the death of two women for much of the last year.

Such was the intensity of the agitation that leaders of mainstream parties seldom visited the place. Only three months ago,Chief Minister Omar Abdullah avoided the main town and organised a public rally in a village six kilometers away.

Sundays Congress rally was addressed by state Congress president and former Union Minister Saif-ud-din Soz and senior leaders who promised development to the town and its adjacent villages. For us it was a good rally attended by thousands of people, Soz said. This was the first rally of any mainstream political party after the long Shopian agitation ended.

Soz said several delegations,including one of local lawyers,met him after the rally and apprised him of the problems faced by locals.

I assured the people of the town that all their problems would be resolved on priority basis, Soz said. He said he also assured the people that Rs 30 lakh will be allotted for development works in the town and funds will be drawn from Central schemes for flood management of Rambiar and Vesu streams.