Ghulam Nabi Azad must clarify his remarks praising PM Modi, says JKPCC chief

After members of the Congress burnt an effigy of senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to protest against his "anti-party activities" and for "praising" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president (JKPCC) Ghulam Ahmad Mir said that the former Rajya Sabha MP must justify his February 28 remarks hailing the PM.

"What happened on February 27 should not have happened. But there still was hope that Azad Sahab was speaking for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, he dashed all the hopes by praising PM Modi on February 28," Mir said while speaking to .

"He must clarify the context of his speech by coming in front of public. He confused the people of Jammu and Kashmir with his February 27 and February 28 speech. I myself want him to clarify this statements," he added.

This comes as Azad praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-23 event in Jammu and Kashmir on February 28, saying that he speaks frankly about his past as a tea-seller and never tried to hide his background from the world.

On February 27, he had orgsed 'Shanti Sammelan' event in Jammu. G-23 leaders or the group of 23 dissenting leaders, including Kapil Sibal, Anand Sharma along with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Raj Babbar and Vivek Tankha were among other Congress leaders who were present at the event.

Mir, however, called Azad a man of orgsation. "So, didn't he remember that Jammu and Kashmir already has a Pradesh Congress Committee while orgsing an event? Didn't he think that representations of Sonia Ji, Rahul Ji, and PCC were required there?" he asked while cornering the senior party leader.

JKPCC further said that he was in New Delhi for a routine meet and had not spoken to party high command about Ghulam Nabi Azad yet.

At the same time, Azad's statement has not been liked by G-23 members too. A leader told on the condition of anonymity that Azad should not have made these remarks as they can deflect attention from the G-23's aim of strengthening the party.

Azad is the senior-most member among the 23 leaders, who had expressed dissent with the functioning of the Congress party and had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi in August last year

( With inputs from ANI )