The Hindu : `Cong. will not obstruct release of prisoners'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

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Other States - Jammu & Kashmir

`Cong. will not obstruct release of prisoners'

JAMMU MARCH 3. The Jammu and Kashmir Congress president, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said today that his party would not oppose any move of the coalition Government to release prisoners against whom there were no serious charges.

A meeting of the joint screening committee to scrutinise the list of prisoners to be released would be held on March 5.

Criticising reports that the Congress had put pressure on the Government not to release political prisoners, he said: "We are very clear that whosoever has been passed by the screening committee should be released. We stand by it. The point of the Congress has been accepted by the State Government by forming a committee which also includes a Central representative".

The BJP, Mr. Azad said, talks of national interest but plays politics on Kashmir. It was trying to mislead the people that the Government was releasing terrorists.

Terming the Himachal Pradesh election outcome as a turning point, he said: "the victory of the Congress gives a clear message that politics based on narrow considerations cannot work in a pluralistic country like India... the coalition Government definitely feels more confident with the victory". Mr. Azad rejected reports that there was dissent in the State Congress. "Every Congressman in the State knows the challenge in hand. The verdict of the people will be respected by every party worker in the national interest".

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`Cong. will not obstruct release of prisoners'