JAMMU: Mr. Maninderjit Singh Bilta, president of the Indian Youth Congress (TYC) has called upon all the political parties to remove all criminal elements from their ranks.

“He was talking to media persons here, last week, Asked about his reactions on the involvement of Sushil Sliarma, a former president of the Delhi Youth Congress in the famous Naina Sahni murder case, Bitta replied that Sushil Sharma was removed from his post more than a year ago.

He claimed that he has been vigilant in appointing office-bearers of the Youth Congress all over the country. ‘The Youth Congress president demanded action against the accused in the Naina Sahni murder case. However, he lambasted the other political parties for taking political Tillage out of the case. “All the political parties are harboring such elements. I can provide you a list of

Criminal elements of each party who Bitta said that a few daysago Phoolan Devi, a former dacoit, was honored by VP. Singh, former prime minister of the country. “It would embolden criminals to join politics to gain respectability,” he said.

He said that a strict procedure would be adopted know the antecedents of the prospective office-bearers of the Youth Congress. “Senior Youth Congress leaders would be deputed to each state to verify all the facts,” he said.

Bitta also demanded holding of early Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir to bring peace to the troubled state, He said that he would soon visit Kashmir and Ladakh to involve the youth in the constructive activity of nation building. “We are prepared to ‘pay any sacrifice to bring normalcy and peace here,” he added. Yogesh Sawhney president. J and K Youth Congress, who met the Prime Minister recently said that watchdog committees to look into the alleged corruption and bungling in the state would be formed soon. He said that the JKYC was advised by the Prime Minister to form such committees and report directly to the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) about prevalent corruption, “We are also advised to hold dharmas and court arrest to expose corrupt elements by the Prime Minister,” he said.

Mr. Sawhney said that he also requested the Prime Minister to have a sound rehabilitation policy for those youths who want to join national mainstream and raise the age limit in ‘jobs for Kashmiri migrants. The Prime Minister assured of speedy action, Sawhney said, Bitta said that the new setup of JKYC would be announced soon.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 28, 1995