Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 2: Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the international human rights organizations should take the cognizance of present situation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) where the people have taken to streets against the atrocities committed on them by the Government.
Talking to reporters here, at the sidelines of a function organized by Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Dr Singh said “it is an eye opener for international foras and they should take cognizance of the same.”
“Protests were going on in PoK over the years against the atrocities committed by Pakistan on the people there but it is for the first time that they have been taken on camera”, he added.
The Union Minister said that the international human rights organization should now take notice of the same and act accordingly. Accusing Pakistan of being involved in cross border terrorism, Dr Singh said that India has always made its stand clear on terrorism and whenever Pakistan has been caught and its involvement was pointed out in past, it rejected the same saying that they (terrorists) are non state actors and Pakistan has nothing to do with it.
“Pakistan was always making denials to divert the international opinion from what is happening in its country, he said,. But now it has been caught on camera and truth has come before the whole world,” he added.
Outrightly rejecting the third party mediation on Kashmir as stressed by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief in UN, Dr Singh said, “there should be no third party mediation and this way Pak PM was contradicting his predecessor”.
He said during the 1972 Simla pact, the then Pak Prime Minister Z A Bhutto had signed an agreement with his Indian counterpart, Indira Gandhi that there will be no third Party mediation over Kashmir hence forth and all bilateral issues should be resolved by the two Governments across the table. But by raking up the third party mediation issue, Pak PM was contradicting his predecessor, he added.
Dr Singh made it clear that Governments change but policies remain the same. However, in Pakistan with change of guard the foreign policies too change. He made it clear that as per 1994 Parliament resolution there is only outstanding issue between India and Pakistan that is how to retrieve the PoK and Gilgit Baltistan lying under forcible occupation of Pakistan.
Earlier, addressing the function, Dr Jitendra Singh assured full Central assistance to promote trade and entrepreneurship in the State of J&K and particularly in Jammu region, which enjoys the advantage of being proximally located closer to North India’s trade hubs like Ludhiana and Amritsar. Time has come to understand and analyze as to why even after 68 years of independence, this region feels deprived of its share of entrepreneurship and commercial growth.
Dr Singh said some of the recent decisions by the Central Government like constructing of Expressway Corridor from Katra to Delhi and an inter-state Ravi bridge at Keediyan Gadyal near Kathua would make transportation and movement easier, but there are other areas like power scarcity and land acquisition which needs to be addressed by the State Government both at administrative as well as political levels, he added.
While Prime Minister Narendera Modi is propagating “the ease of doing business” to the whole world, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is an irony that over here, instead of experiencing the ease of doing business, the businessmen feels, “uneasy” about doing business. “Government has no business to be in business”, and added, this is a message which should also go down at the State level.
Recalling his long association with Jammu Chamber of Commerce, Dr Jitendra Singh said, former president of Chamber Ram Sahai often raised the demand for setting up of a Rail Coach Factory in Jammu. He said, he had taken up this subject with the Union Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu who while appreciating the concern said that at this stage , if not a rail coach factory, a rail coach repair unit could be planned and assured that he would follow up the issue.
Dr Singh said that there are other issues raised by CCI which include extension of tax holiday, etc and these issues needed to be deliberated in detail from different angles.
Dr Singh while appreciating the role of Jammu Chamber said it is the only body in entire country which has achieved its goals through its own struggle without any support from Government. Terming the Chamber a representative body of Jammu city, Dr Singh said in small towns, Chambers have more utility as it is the only legitimate civil society representative body which maintains checks and balances on the Government.
He said whenever Jammu was in crisis Chamber like bodies played a crucial role. Among its two pronged strategy during these crisis was struggle for rights as well as conciliatory approach to defuse the crisis.
Dr Singh said he has already held various meeting with representatives of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He also invited the office bearers of JCCI to visit Delhi for a constructive dialogue with business leaders across the country.
Maintaining that Jammu has potential to raise resources, he said but it needs to open up to the rest of the world.
He also highlighted various Central projects taken up in hand for the development of the region which included, Arogya Gram Yojna in Kathua, Technology and Dreamland Park in Kathua, modern weather forecasting Station in Sanji Chat Katra, IIT for Jammu and doubling the honorarium of SPOs and VDCs etc.
He urged the Chamber to represent before the Government that funds be earmarked in new Central package for border firing victims as well as VDCs and SPOs honorarium.
Dr Jitendra Singh also urged the Chamber to take up the issues liked setting up of a full fledged medical University in the State with the Government as already six new medical colleges have been announced for the State and hence opening of a separate Medical University was need of the hour. Besides, he said Chamber can also play a role in the development of Railway Stations in the State under the new policy of the Government.
Earlier, president Chamber of Commerce & Industries Rakesh Gupta read out the charter of demands which included upgradation and modernization of Railway Station at Jammu, plying of additional trains on sacred days, requesting Railway Ministry not to extend more trains to Katra till the tourism projects are completed in Jammu as it has badly hit the economy, creation of a mono rail project in Jammu city, completion of projects for promotion of tourism in Jammu, like Gandola, Artificial Tawi lake, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex preservation, Gandola at Patnitop, multi storied parking etc, holding of Parade at Suchet Garh border area on pattern of Amritsar, opening of Export Promotion Council (EPC) in Jammu as export oriented units like walnut fully qualifies for the same, sanctioning of big mother industry in Jammu, identification of land for AIIMS project, restoration of 100 percent Central Excise refund, extending IT exemption incentive at least for 10 years, etc.
Speaking on the occasion general secretary of Chamber Arun Gupta highlighted the plight of Jammu traders and industry saying that Government has no constant policy. He said FDI was extended and only one Wall Mart was brought in Jammu the 70 percent traders have been affected .It was earlier said that it will do wholesale business while on ground it is doing retail business also which has affected the retailers.
With the FDI 70 percent business has been snatched, he said adding traders are feeling totally uneasy.
Sham Langer vice president of Chamber also spoke on the occasion. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal and Sangeeta Gupta, Principal Commissioner IT, J&K were on dais. Besides, DIG Jammu Ashkoor Wani, DC Jammu and SSP Jammu were also present on the occasion.
The function was attended by prominent members of business community including former president of Chamber Ramesh Gupta, its general secretary, Ramesh Motial, Baldev Khullar, K K Khosa, Yudhvir Sethi, Vikram Randhawa, Mr Khopyaala, Lalit Mahajan president Industry Association Bari Brahmana, Vijay Aggarwal, president Industry Association Samba, Subash Gupta of City Square Maal, Shiv Partap Gupta, president Financers Association and heads of various Bazar associations etc.
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