DMU to Pathankot flagged off
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 9: Taking a serious note of the demand made by the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders regarding creation of separate divisions for Pir Panjal and Chenab region, Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh today accused the two parties of trying to poison the minds of peace loving people of the Jammu division.
Talking to reporters here this morning on the sidelines of flagging of a DMU train to Pathankot from Jammu Railway Station, the Union Minister said that the granting of separate division to Ladakh region is based on logistics as the people of the region were facing lot of inconvenience due to geographical constraints and hence their demand for a separate division was justified. Click here to watch video
Dr Jitendra Singh said in comparison to that the Pir Panjal and Chenab areas are parts of Jammu region where there are no such geographical constraints like Ladakh region.
He said both NC and PDP leadership by making the demand are trying to induce poison in the peaceful psyche of the people who live in complete peace and harmony for decades together.
This divisive politicking on the name of religion is not only going to harm the nation but these two parties as well, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while strongly defending grant of Divisional status to Ladakh region said it was the demand of the people of region as well as BJP when the party was not in power and connecting Pir Panjal range and Chenab region with the same has no logistics and base. He said the decision of granting divisional status to Ladakh region is not motivated by politicking but purely on granting justice to the people who were facing certain geographical constraints over the years.
Dr Jitendra Singh also lashed out at opposition parties who were alleging that Modi Government was misusing power and using CBI to browbeat them. He said that no pressure tactics has been adopted on ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or what you call ‘Mahamillawat’.
He said Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has stated in Lok Sabha that this is the failed attempt or Gathbandhan of PM aspirants. Dr Jitendra Singh made it clear that BJP Government does not interfere in autonomous bodies as far as pending inquiries are concerned.
The Union Minister said that the Congress and other opposition parties are leveling the allegations on the basis of their experience as they were manipulating and misusing CBI and other agencies when they were in power against their political rivals to settle their own scores with them. “But we are not doing that practice and CBI and other agencies are working independent of Government control”, he added.
Lambasting Congress party, Dr Jitendra Sing said all its frontline leaders are on bail and the charges against them were framed much before when Modi Government came to power and they can be behind the bars at any time.
On US report that there is much democracy in J&K than PoK, Dr Jitendra Singh said that those who visit PoK themselves say that there is no comparison in freedom that they are enjoying in J&K.
He said J&K has emerged as frontline developing State of country under Narendra Modi Government and PoK is 45 years behind J&K in development.
Dr Jitendra Singh, while outrightly rejecting the Congress allegations that BJP is trying to come to power through corrupt practices and horse trading said that party has never encouraged such tactics and the opposition parties are leveling these allegations on the basis of their own experience. He said “had we encouraged the horse trading the party would not have come out of coalition in J&K where we were in majority. We formed the Government in J&K on the mandate of people and came out of it as people demanded the same”.
On North East, he said BJP will come with flying colours in the coming Lok Sabha elections as there will be a heavy turnout this time in elections than past.
Earlier addressing the function at Railway Station during flagging off DMU train, Dr Jitendra Singh said since the Narendra Modi took over, the rail services improved in entire country in a planned manner. In Jammu, train services also got a momentum during this period, he added.
He said though our generation could not see the train coming to Jammu via Sialkot in Pakistan but first train came to Jammu in 1972 when two trains Srinagar Express now Jehlum Express and Jammu Mail were extended to Jammu from Pathankot.
He said, however, “we now see its reversal as Jammu train is extended to Pathankot.”
Dr Jitendra Singh said that no one had ever thought that train would be extended to Udhampur . He said the rail services in hilly regions of North East and J&K were extended to link them with the rest of the country.
He said that Prime Minister inaugurated Katra Railway Station though it was ready for inauguration much before he took over as PM. But previous Government led by Dr Manmohan Singh at one occasion could not inaugurate the Station due to his preoccupation with other tasks and at the time of elections when again request was made to him by Railway authorities he had to turn it down on the advise of his colleagues who told him that inauguration of Vaishno Devi Railway Station during elections will put secularism in danger.
“It was perhaps God willingness that Railway Station was to be inaugurated by Narendra Modi after he took over as PM of India. He said in NE some states have not seen train before Modi Government but now “we have constructed double gauge track there now.”
He said to link the two pilgrimage centers of North East and J&K, Narendra Modi inaugurated Kamakhia to Katra train besides first ever train was run to Bangladesh by Modi Government.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the rail service to India is not only linked to travel but its culture and emotions of people are also attached to rail.
The function was organized by Railways and its officers including DTM Ferozpur Division, Vivek Kumar and Deputy Mayor JMC, Purnima Sharma and other officers of railways including staff were also present on the occasion.
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