People protest, allege step-motherly treatment

Excelsior Correspondent

BHADERWAH, Dec 6: Senior citizens joined by some political leaders held a strong protest here today, alleging discrimination and step-motherly treatment by the present Coalition Government.
To press their demand to restore the glory of Bhaderwah and to restart the abandoned developmental projects which were allegedly stopped midway for unknown reasons, dozens of senior citizens and veteran leaders gathered at historical Takia Chowk and started raising slogans against the authorities for not only neglecting Bhaderwah valley while allotting new developmental projects but also disbanding already approved projects.
“Coalition Government is testing our patience by pushing us to the corner by depriving us of our basic rights. We are not demanding anything new or big but we are simply asking them that why the already sanctioned projects are either being shifted from here or suddenly abandoned”, alleged veteran political leader Choudhary Mohammad Iqbal while addressing the gathering.
Work on the already sanctioned projects by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad including indoor stadium at university campus, herbal garden and staff quarters at new hospital should be started immediately as for all these projects land has been already acquired, he said, adding that if coalition Government continues to play with the sentiments of common people then they will be left with no other option but to launch mass agitation.
“We have been made to suffer to even get basic medicare facility as none of the specialist doctors especially Gynaecologist, surgeon and anesthetic is ready to stay here on the pretext of non-availability of staff quarter at new hospital. We are unable to understand that after acquiring 8 kanals of land and sanctioning of Rs 2 crores for construction since last 5 years, why the work is not being started”, said social worker Riaz Ahmed Najar.
The protesters were also up in arms against PDD, RDD, CAPD and R&B for making people to suffer due to their pathetic attitude while performing their duties.
Among others present were Abdul Hafeez Khateeb, Suhail Sidiqui, Neeraj Singh Manhas and Choudhary Mohammad Iqbal.