Srinagar

The Congress’ Policy and Planning Group led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here today “to take stock of the situation and update the policy and approach to Jammu and Kashmir situation.”

The visit comes less than a week after the four-day trip of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to the state in which he reviewed the situation and development activities and also held interactions with a cross section of political parties and other groups.

Manmohan Singh, accompanied by Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, were joined by other members, including PCC president GA Mir, Tariq Hameed Karra, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Sham Lal Sharma. The group had held a similar meeting in Jammu while the party also plans to visit the Ladakh region.

The executive committee meeting of the state Congress comprising senior leaders and legislators “apprised the visiting leaders about the ground situation and the current affairs in the state, especially in the Kashmir valley,” a party spokesman said. “They told the group about the failures of the Centre and state government as a result of which the situation had worsened and the overall security situation and the political atmosphere had been vitiated,” he said.

Several other delegations later had interactions with the visiting group and apprised the members about the current situation of the state and the aspirations and hardships of different sections of society.

These delegations were of the National Conference, CPM, PDF led by Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen (MLA), Democratic Party Nationalist led by former Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir, CPI, Kashmir Civil Society, South Kashmir Civil Society and others.