Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, Aug 13: Giving a new twist to Party’s country wide Tringa rally which was led by him in border district of Kathua today, Union Minister of State in PMO with Independent Charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh said that with this yatra a new struggle has started for liberation of Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and it will culminate with hoisting of national tricolor at Kotli in Mirpur next time.
Talking to reporters while launching the Tringa rally from Jatwal in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district, Dr Singh said that a new battle has started on the 70th Independence Day for liberation of PoJK which is an integral part of India and under forcible occupation of Pakistan from its clutches now as the people of that portion of undivided J&K State were facing many atrocities from the hands of Pakistani administration and rulers.
While taking a strong dig at Pakistan for blaming India for human rights violations in Kashmir, he said that it has become now open to entire world that if any country is involved in human rights violations in the world that is Pakistan in PoJK, Gilgit-Baltistan and Baluchistan. The neighboring country has now been totally exposed before the international community for the same, he added.
He said in Pakistan the people who raise voice for their rights and protest against the atrocities by Pakistan authorities are being bombed and killed and their voice is being suppressed while the terrorists who kill innocent people in Kashmir and other parts of India are being declared martyrs by Pakistan Government and this will not be tolerated at any cost now.
He said after the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in all parties meeting yesterday that India will raise the issue of human rights violation of people in PoJK, Gilgit –Baltistan and Baluchistan, the Tiranga yatra from this border district will be a begging in this regard.
“People in PoJK are fed up with atrocities of Pakistan and they are struggling for liberation from its clutches for last 70 years’’ he said, adding “our struggle launched today from this border district will only succeed when we hoist Indian Tricolor at Kotli in Mirpur district of PoJK next time’’.
Terming it another battle for Azadi, he said this time it is the struggle for liberation of PoJK as entire nation is elated by PM’s speech yesterday.
While rejecting any leniency for terrorists waging a war against the national unity and integrity, Dr Jitendra Singh quoted the PM’s speech yesterday saying that terrorist be treated as a terrorist and there are not two thoughts on the same. He, however, said that the poor of the poorest youth are being misguided by the separatists and Pak agents in Valley whose own children are studying abroad and working on lucrative posts, the Government will work to bring these youth into the mainstream as they were exploited by the Pak agents.
On holding talks with Hurriyat leadership, Dr Singh said there is confusion into the conglomerate itself. He made it clear that all stake holders including Kashmiri Pandits, PoJK refugees, people of Jammu and Ladakh as well as other minorities in the State are the stakeholders and not only the Hurriyat. The conglomerate is not more stake holder than these people and they need not to be given any extra importance as it is also a confused lot, he added.
Later addressing the rallies at Hiranagar and Kathua, Dr Singh highlighted the sacrifices of freedom fighters and said during the ‘Azadi 70’ besides taking out the Tiranga rallies across the country the freedom fighters will be remembered.
He said in entire country if there is any pious area for starting this yatra that is border district of Kathua.
He said Prime Minister has said our next struggle will be liberation of PoJK and this message is to be conveyed to entire nation from here, he added.
He also highlighted the various developmental programmes launched in the State in general and Jammu region in particular during the Modi Government which he said has been liberal in keeping its coffers open for development of the State.
Dr Singh said that Kathua being the nucleus of his constituency so many developmental projects have been launched in this area which included Biotech Park, major bridges on river Ravi, aromatic plants cultivation, construction of toilets for border people etc. The foundation stone of Medical College in Kathua will also be laid soon as it could not be done earlier due to delay in land acquisition. Besides, the AIIMS will also come up in Samba district which is nearer to Kathua, he added.
Addressing the rally, Ashok Kaul general secretary organisation BJP detailed about the programmes and said tomorrow yatra will be taken out in Basholi, Bani and Billawar which will be led by State president Sat Sharma and local MLAs. He said today Tiranga rally was also taken out in Gool and Reasi areas while in Jammu it will be led by MP Jugal Kishore Sharma on August 15.
He said the rally will culminate on August 22 at Udhampur where Dr Jitendra Singh will be the chief guest. On August 21 Union Minister of Finance Arun Jaitley and Dr Jitendra Singh will pay tributes to freedom fighter and founder of Praja Parishad Pt. Prem Nath Dogra at his native village in Smailpur Samba.
Addressing the rally, MLA Kathua Rajeev Jasrotia highlighted various developmental programmes started for Kathua district and said that credit goes to Dr Jitendra Singh for launching these programmes. He said for the first time the rural belt of Kathua got road connectivity after 60 years of independence.
MLA Hiranagar, Kuldeep Kumar also addressed the rally. Others who addressed it included BJP general secretary and incharge of programme, Pawan Khajuria, district president Prem Nath Dogra and senior BJP leaders.
Vice Chairman OBC Advisory Board Rishpaul Verma and senior BJP leader, Sanjeev Sharma and BJYM national executive member Bharat Sharma were also present during the rally.
Earlier, Dr Singh, Kaul and other leaders participated in the rally in an open van from Jatwal to Kathua covering the border belt of Hiranagar also. Later, Dr Singh led the rally on a two wheeler at Kathua.
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