07/09/2026
Chopal Pe Charcha in Udhampur: Karra puts people’s concerns at heart of politics
Bhalla voices concerns of farmers, youth and traders, demands accountability, jobs and price relief
Udhampur, September 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) today took the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) ongoing “Chopal Pe Charcha” campaign to Udhampur district, providing a grassroots platform for people to openly discuss issues confronting them in their daily lives. The programme was organised by District Congress Committee Udhampur President Sumit Magotra and was led by JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra, along with JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla, senior Congress leaders, party functionaries and local residents. The programme focused on the alleged “Chanda Chori” issue, the continued delay in restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, unemployment, inflation and the hardships being faced by farmers, youth, traders and other sections of society.
Addressing the gathering, Tariq Hameed Karra said that “Chopal Pe Charcha” was not merely a political programme but an effort to take the Congress’s campaign directly to the people and create a democratic forum where ordinary citizens could question those in power. He said the Congress would continue to raise the alleged “Chanda Chori” issue and demand transparency and accountability. Karra alleged that instead of answering uncomfortable questions and addressing people’s genuine concerns, the BJP-led government at the Centre was attempting to divert public attention through political narratives. He asserted that Congress would take the campaign to every district and every section of society so that issues affecting common citizens remain at the centre of public debate.
Karra said that the delay in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir had become a matter of deep concern among the people. He said J&K had witnessed an elected government after a prolonged period, but the people continued to await restoration of the full constitutional and democratic status that existed before the reorganisation of the erstwhile State. He maintained that democracy should mean meaningful powers, accountability and institutions that remain answerable to the people. The JKPCC chief said the Congress would continue to demand restoration of statehood without further delay, asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserved dignity, political empowerment and greater democratic accountability.
The Congress president also attacked the BJP-led government over what he described as the rising cost of living and growing unemployment, saying the impact was being felt across households and economic sectors. He said educated youth were struggling to find stable employment while families were under pressure from rising prices of essential commodities and everyday expenses. Karra said farmers were facing challenges including increasing input costs and market uncertainties, while traders and small businesses were struggling to sustain their livelihoods. He said the government could not claim inclusive development while large sections of society continued to feel economically insecure and politically unheard.
Karra further said that the Congress would continue to act as the voice of the people and use the “Chopal Pe Charcha” platform to bring their concerns into the mainstream of political discourse. He said the campaign would particularly focus on youth, farmers, traders, students, workers, women and economically vulnerable families. He urged Congress workers to strengthen grassroots outreach and ensure that genuine public grievances reach the appropriate forums, asserting that politics must remain connected with the everyday struggles of citizens.
Raman Bhalla, JKPCC Working President, said the Udhampur programme demonstrated that Congress was taking the AICC’s national outreach campaign to the grassroots rather than confining it to party offices or formal political meetings. He said people were increasingly willing to speak openly about issues affecting their families, businesses and livelihoods. Bhalla said the concerns raised at the “Chopal Pe Charcha” reflected a wider sense of economic and political uncertainty, particularly among youth and the middle class, and alleged that the BJP government had failed to provide satisfactory answers on unemployment, inflation and other pressing issues.
Bhalla said farmers, traders, students, employees, small entrepreneurs and working families were all facing different forms of economic pressure, and the government must listen to them instead of relying only on political messaging. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had also been waiting for restoration of statehood and greater democratic empowerment. Bhalla maintained that Congress would continue to stand with the people on these issues and expand its grassroots campaign across districts, creating a sustained public dialogue and ensuring that the concerns of ordinary citizens remain part of the political agenda.
Senior Congress leader Balbir Singh and Thakur Manmohan Singh said the “Chopal Pe Charcha” initiative had provided an important opportunity for people to place their genuine grievances directly before the Congress leadership. They said unemployment, inflation, inadequate employment opportunities and difficulties faced by farmers and traders had emerged as major concerns during the interaction. They said the government must be made accountable for its promises and policies and should provide concrete relief to families struggling with increasing expenses. They stressed that young people needed meaningful employment opportunities and better avenues for entrepreneurship, while farmers required stronger support, remunerative markets and protection from rising input costs. They said Congress would continue to raise these issues consistently and would not allow the concerns of ordinary citizens to be ignored.
Congress leaders and workers participating in the programme said that direct interaction with the public was essential for strengthening democratic institutions and understanding ground realities. They emphasised that issues concerning employment, inflation, farmers, traders, youth, students and the restoration of statehood should remain central to political discourse. The speakers also urged party workers to maintain regular contact with people at the grassroots and ensure that their concerns are taken up before the appropriate authorities and political forums.
The participants further stressed the need for sustained public engagement on issues affecting the everyday lives of citizens. They said “Chopal Pe Charcha” would help the Congress identify local concerns and build a stronger connect with different sections of society. The leaders maintained that democratic politics must remain rooted in public participation and accountability and assured that the party would continue to raise the people’s issues across Jammu and Kashmir.
District Congress Committee Udhampur President Sumit Magotra, who organised the programme, said the objective of taking “Chopal Pe Charcha” to Udhampur was to establish a direct and meaningful dialogue between the Congress organisation and the people. He said residents from different sections of society openly shared their concerns regarding unemployment, inflation, livelihoods, development and restoration of statehood. Magotra said such grassroots interactions were important to understand the actual problems being faced by people beyond official claims and statistics. He assured the gathering that the issues raised during the programme would be conveyed to the senior party leadership and taken up at appropriate forums. He also called upon Congress workers to remain consistently connected with the public and strengthen the party’s grassroots outreach across Udhampur district.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were KC Bhagat, Vinod Khajuria, Gunjar Singh, Sunil Gupta, Suraj Chowdhary, Majid Hussain, Anil Pachiyala, Gopal Khajuria, Om Parkash, OP Khokhar, Madan Mathur, Shashi Manhas, Ashok Sharma and Riaz Ahmed, besides other senior Congress leaders, office-bearers, workers and local residents.
