New Delhi: Congress on Saturday said that a lot more needs to be done by the Centre in the flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir and came out in defence of the coalition government in the state for its role in rescue and relief operation saying the entire state government machinery became a victim of flood.
Party general secretary in-charge for the state Ambika Soni, however, insisted that she does not want to engage in partisan politics on a calamity like flood, though she indicated that the party feels that Centre's response could have been much quicker.
She heaped praise on Indian Army for its role in carrying out rescue and relief operation and asked the Centre to move in more trained men and machine to restore communication and network, provide food in a more organised manner and drugs. Days after senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Digvijay Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his efforts in the flood-ravaged valley, Soni said a lot more needs to be done.
"I do not want to bring in partisan politics but I do feel a lot more needs to be done. Just giving money is not enough. Central government must contribute in much greater measure not only with financial resources but with trained men and machine to restore communication and network, provide food in a more organised manner and drugs.
"This has to be got down on war footing by agencies mobilised by the Centre as the state's apparatus has become a casualty of the flood and in waters," Soni said. The Congress, which has been attacking the government on a number of issues so far, has maintained a cautious stand on the issue, and Azad and Singh had even gone to the extent of praising the Prime Minister for his initiative.
Responding to questions on their praise of Modi, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi had yesterday said,"I think we have much to say but I desist from saying anything at all in this moment of national tragedy.
"We have to join all united in our best efforts and we are fully supportive of every initiative not only of the government but the central government and the state government."
Soni also said that she does not want do politics on the issue but expressed concern over the anger among the flood affected people. "There is great anger among people. There is bound to be anger as they are suffering," she said, but defended the state government saying "the entire machinery of the state government was a victim of flood and that is why the state government was not able to make the state machinery move.
Soni said that the anger among the flood affected people was there because they do not know what steps were being taken, and the central government should employ all communication means like Doordarshan, AIR and FM radios to reassure them. "The central government should deploy official spokespersons in flood affected areas, who reach out to victims on available radio and television networks. There is a need to create confidence among people.
"People are angry because they do not know what is happening. Regular announcements should be made regarding the situation," she said. Soni said that instead of airdropping food packets, the Centre should set up camp langars or community kitchens in the available dry patches in the flood-affected regions to provide food to the victims. "After two three days of no rain, this should happen now."
The Congress leader said besides arresting the wastage of food going into water, it will also check the unpleasant pleasant scramble of people for food packets, where they are being dropped.
While defended the role of the state government, Soni said all its resources were under water. She heaped praises on the Indian Army saying "but for the
Army what would have happened there. They have done a great job." She also lauded her party's frontal wings NSUI, Seva Dal and Youth Congress for the "relief work at the ground" and said their experiment of involving the local youths in relief works have worked well.
Soni said that Centre should also put in personnel to restore communication networks in the state. "It's eight-nine days now and these things should have happened by this time," she said, adding "just monetary help was not enough". The Prime Minister had declared a Rs 1000 crore package for Jammu and Kashmir immediately after the flood. The Congress leader said that the government should also arrange for a large number of mobile dispensaries in flood affected regions for disbursing drugs. "I feel the anger among people will go down if food and medicines are distributed effectively," she said.
The Congress-NC state government has come under criticism over its handling of relief work and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz had faced angry questions by victims some days back.
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