Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: Apni Party today staged peaceful protests outside the Press Club of Jammu and all other district headquarters of the Division and demanded roll-back of existing Geology and Mining policy in J&K.
They also protested against the nexus between administration, police and mining mafia due to which harassment of people has increased and the cost of constructional material has escalated to an unexpected manner.
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In Jammu, the protest was led by general secretary Vikram Malhotra, Provincial president, Jammu, Manjit Singh, Provincial President, Women Wing, Namrta Sharma, and District president Jammu Pranav Shagotra alongwith hundreds of Party leaders and workers including women.
The protesting Apni Party leaders and workers demanded roll-back of the existing Geology and Mining policy and condemned that attitude of the mining mafia which works with help of local administration and police.
“Today, we held peaceful protests in all districts of Jammu Division on direction of Party President Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari. We have protested to highlight problems of common people. They are not able to construct their homes after the cost escalation. The material has become costlier in Jammu and Kashmir with the involvement of non-local mining mafia,” said Vikram Malhotra.
Malhotra, speaking to the media, said the police, local administration and mafia people harass tractor-trolley owners and do not give them receipts.”
Manjit Singh said that they are illegally charging 5 times higher than the fixed rates for the sand, stones and RBMs despite fixation of charges by the respective Deputy Commissioner.
“The common man is not being listened to by the administration or police because of nexus with the mining mafia. This is unfortunate that the administration has turned blind eyes towards the suffering of the people,” Manjit Singh further said.
If the rates are not fixed, he said, the people will continue to suffer at the hands of the nexus which hardly existed in the past.
In Jammu district, protests were also held at Domana, Bisnah, different areas of Jammu Urban, President Jammu Rural -A, Pushp Kumar Uppal led protest at Akhnoor, president Rural-B Neelchan Arora led protest in Arnia, and other areas.
Meanwhile, Apni Party leaders and workers held protests in 13 places across the Division including Reasi protest by led by Vice President, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, in Rajouri vice president Ch. Zulfikar Ali led protest, Samba’s Vijaypur Provincial President Jammu, Manjit Singh led the protest.
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