What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Senior politician Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday announced the name of his political outfit — Democratic Azad Party (DAP) — stating that ‘Azad’ word in the party’s name should not be connected with his personal name as it reflects that the outfit would be “independent”.
He also displayed the party flag having three colours — mustard, white and dark blue.
Addressing a press conference in Jammu, Azad, the former leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said, “The wait is over. My party’s name is Democratic Azad Party (DAP). Don’t misconstrue or connect the Azad word in the party’s name with my personal name,” he said. “Azad means the party will be independent in nature and there will be no pressure. And the party doesn’t mean just a party but an institution.”
“DAP means the party will be democratic in nature and follow democratic rules. “There will be no autocracy in the party.”
Azad was flanked by former Congress leaders and ministers Tara Chand, G M Saroori, R S Chib and others.
About the flag and its colours, Azad said that mustard colour means creativity and it also means diversity. “Our country India and J&K is full of diversity. White means peace. We are followers of Gandhiji and will follow the path of peace. Dark blue means deep sea, rather a depth from the deep sea to skies. We should have depth,” he said.
He said that there will be elections in the party from the grassroots level. “We are here to compete at our own level. I have no competition with any party. Will compete as students compete with each other in a classroom. We don’t have any political enemy or foe. The public is supreme and they have to decide about our fate,” Azad said, adding that for him, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are “just four chambers of a human heart”.
He said that 50 per cent of tickets will be given to youths. About Article 370, Azad said that he never said it won’t be restored. “I stated that if someone can persuade PM Narendra Modiji or Home Minister Amit Shahji, they are welcome. Frankly speaking, I don’t have such influence. I can’t do that as I have no such strength at present.”
About Congress, he said that he remained affiliated with the party for a long time but he was always a follower of Mahatma Gandhi since his college days.
To a query about apple trucks being halted on national highways, Azad said that apple trucks should be prioritized like ambulances. “The way we give way to ambulances to proceed on roads, the same should be applied to apple trucks. Otherwise, what is the fun of bumper apple crop!” He added the government should also consider and announce compensation to the farmers whose crops got damaged in Jammu areas due to rain and hailstorm.
