Excelsior Correspondent
MATHWAR, Aug 18: Describing State subject laws under Article 35A as endorsement of visionary legislation of Maharaja Hari Singh and a commitment of the Constitution of India to Jammu and Kashmir in general and Duggarland in particular, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today said that realization is dawning fast on the Dogras about ill effects of moves to dispense with it.
“As the Dogra identity will be at peril, the people of Jammu, irrespective of caste, creed and religion will fight tooth and nail to uphold this constitutional proviso”, Rana said while addressing a series of public meetings during his day-long tour of Upper Jandyal and Lower Jandial Panchayats of Mathwar block in Nagrota Assembly Constituency this afternoon, adding that if any course correction is needed at all, it is to identify the fake State subjects, who have exploited and usurped the legitimate rights and avenues of sustenance of self-respecting Dogras.
He said the fake State subject holders were actively conniving with the elements inimical to the Jammu interest, especially the divisive BJP, to have Article 35A repealed. He accused the BJP of negating far-sight and political sagacity of the Maharaja, who had brought State subject laws in 1927 to save the Dogras from perpetual subjugation of affluent businessmen from outside the State.
Time stands testimony to the wisdom of the Maharaja that enabled the Dogras to retain their glorious identity, heritage and economic interests, notwithstanding certain wrongs committed by vested interest in facilitating non-state subjects to settle down here clandestinely, he added.
“The relevance of Article 35A is more crucial now than never ever in the past ninety years”, he said and assailed the self-styled Messiahs of Jammu for engineering machinations to deprive Jammuities of their rights.
He said more than the Kashmir and the Ladakh regions, Jammu will face the main brunt in the event of scrapping Article 35A, as the jobs and business avenues will be usurped by the settlers from outside, in view of the close proximity of this region with the neighbouring States and prevailing conducive atmosphere for businesses and other avocations.
Any attempt to weaken or scrapping the permanent residence laws would render the locals of Jammu-the Dogra Mahajans, Brahamins, Rajputs, Khatris, Scheduled Caste, Dogra Muslims, Sikhs, Christians besides other segments as second class citizens, he added.
Rana took the BJP head on for generating hype over presence of illegally settled Rohingyas in Jammu and virtually doing nothing despite ruling the Centre for the past over four years and having remained in power in the State for over three years.
“Why doesn’t the BJP act even now instead of beating chests and instigating the people”, he said, asking who is stopping New Delhi and Srinagar from deporting Rohingyas under the Foreign Nationals Act. The Rohingyas, he said, were settled by the Centre in Jammu. On their part, he said the National Conference leadership has time and again made it clear that repatriation of illegally settled Rohingyas could be processed under the Foreigners Act.
On this occasion several prominent political activists, mostly associated with the BJP joined the National Conference and expressed their faith in the policies and programmes of the party. They included ex-servicemen Mr Vinod Sharma, Mr Nasib Singh and Mr Rajinder Sharma besides Mr Ashok Sharma. From the BJP Mr Sunil Sharma, Mr Ravi Sharma, Mr Sham Lal Sharma, Mr Romesh Chand and from Congress Mr Pawan Singh and Mr Puran Singh joined the National Conference. Mrs Kamla Devi, Mrs Rajni Devim Mrs Asha Devi, Mrs Anita Devi, Mr Mohinder Singh also joined the National Conference.
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