Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Apr 9: Panthers Party’s “Haq-Insaf” Rath Yatra, led by JKNPP State president Balwant Singh Mankotia, in support of separate Statehood, reached at Kembal-Danga Panchayat of District Udhampur.
While speaking on the occasion, Mankotia strongly condemned the Government’s recent decision of opening 66 new wine shops in the State and he informed that this tender is going to be done at the end of the month in which 61 shops in Jammu, 2 in Kashmir and 3 in Ladakh have been included, which is a total discrimination with the people of Jammu region.
Panther Party’s State president made scathing attack on successive State Governments for opening thousands of liquor shops in Jammu region. “These Governments failed to provide a nominal Government job of peon to youth but opened excess number of wine shops in Jammu region so that youth become habitual of liquor to get exploited easily in the garb of liquor,” he alleged.
Mankotia threatened that if the Government fails to roll back its recent decision of opening wine shops, then Panthers Party would start a mass movement against this decision. “Youth of the Jammu region need employment not liquor shops, which are spoiling the future of our generation,” he said and welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to shift wine shops from National Highway to inner roads of different areas. He said that liquor is the root cause of all sins spreading in the society and destroying the future of young generation.
While addressing in religious function at Kembal – Danga Panchayat, Panther Party’s State president said that motive of the Haq Insaaf Yatra is to create awareness among people of Jammu region to seek right and justice. He said that Panther Party will not allow to fulfill the nefarious designs of spoiling future of youth of Jammu region and will start awareness programme. He alleged that despite Supreme Court’s direction, some influential liquor owners, in connivance with law enforcement agencies, have kept their shops open.
Mankotia pointed out that despite release of Rs 14 crores for widening of Jib-Thathi road, the work was not started in the last three years.