‘Turnout in DDC poll victory for democracy, PM’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 17: Maintaining that controversial Articles of 370 and 35-A have been buried once and for all, BJP national general secretary, Inc-harge J&K and Lad-akh UTs, Tarun Chugh today said that they are the things of past now and the new agenda for his party is to bring the land grabbers to book and retrieve the land of J&K under forcible occupation of Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview to Excelsior, the BJP leader said “there can’t be any discussion now on Articles 370 and 35-A which have been buried in grave yard once and for all and the agenda for the BJP is to take the land grabbers to task and retrieve the areas of J&K under the forcible occupation of Pakistan”.
Hitting out at People’s Democratic party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti who had warned that if special status of J&K is eroded there would be no one to lift the tricolor in J&K, Chug said now the tricolor has been unfurled in each and every house hold of J&K and it is time to hold discussions how to unfurl it in POJK.
He said holding of recent Shikara rally in Dal lake near Gupkar is a testimony to it and a reply to Mehbooba by the Kashmiri masses.
Chugh, while making a scathing attack on dynastic parties including Congress said that they have ruined the J&K and exploited the people of the erstwhile State on emotive and catchy slogans to indulge in loot of public resources over the decades. “The J&K is the best place for industrialization and commercial tourism as well as pilgrimage tourism but no attention was paid to its promotion by these dynastic parties during their decades long rule”, he added.
“We (BJP) see many options for the development of J&K. It can be an industrial hub like Bangalore, Noida, Hyderabad, Gurugram and Jaipur. Besides it can be best option for the International Service Centre and J&K will become a progressive State in case sincere efforts are made towards that and Narendra Modi Government is committed to it”, he added.
Expressing his confidence over the overwhelming response given by people of the J&K to DDC elections, Chug said today the democracy has emerged triumphant in J&K. “It is the victory of democracy, ideology and policies of Narendra Modi as well as people of J&K and defeat to those who looted and misled the people of J&K for 70 long years”, he added.
“The participation by a good number of people in elections especially in Kashmir valley shows that people have defeated the gun culture and looters and the anti Gupkar Alliance people came out from their houses to cast the vote and make democratic process fruitful in Kashmir and I salute them, Chug said, adding that this election was a contest between the dynastic parties who looted the State exchequer for decades together and those who exposed the looters”.
The Gupkar Alliance leaders have no policy and programme for the people of J&K, he said, adding they have no agenda. “They could not highlight what they did for the development of J&K and betterment of its people in their 70 year long rule while we gave full account of our six years rule as there is every thing in black and white”, he added.
He said had the dynastic parties really been sincere and worked for the development of J&K the UT would have been the world class commercial and religious tourism centre at this time as there are many charming and health resorts besides many pilgrimage centres of all religions including Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs in J&K.
The BJP leader said that his party and Modi Government are committed to give impetus to both pilgrimage as well as commercial tourism in J&K to boost the economy of the people. He said this land needs tourism and not terrorism while hitting out at NC patriarch, Dr Farooq Abdullah who had said that he was looking for China’s support. “How long they will mislead the people of Kashmir this way”, he questioned?
Asserting that these elections will give a blow to the dynastic parties in J&K, he said it is the time of retirement for the conspirators in politics. “This poll will be a farewell party to those who made people to fight with each other”, he added.
Accusing the Gupkar Alliance leaders of deceiving the J&K people, he said there is nothing in J&K politics except dynastic rule. But it is the time for the people of the UT to arise and ask these dynastic parties why can’t no other leader be there else than the Abdullah and Mufti families. Can’t a Gujjar or a common man be CM of J&K,” he asked?
BJP leader said why the people from Abdullah and Mufti families only claim to be leaders of J&K who deprived the common masses of the erstwhile State of their rights.
He said the situation has now changed and the position of leaders of Gupkar Alliance has become so awkward that their cadre is distancing from them and even they did not allow the posters of NC and PDP leaders like Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Mohammed Syeed etc to be pasted in election rallies fearing worse.
He said prior to August 5 last year there was gender discrimination in J&K and rights of women were usurped. But Narendra Modi rid them of this and he gave equal rights to the daughters of J&K. “The OBCs have been given rights all over India but in J&K they were ignored. The Dalits and Balmikis were made slaves and asked they can’t do any job except sweepers. Can’t they aspire for the post of a doctor or an engineer”? he asked.
He said the Right to Information and Central Anti Corruption laws were not implemented in J&K under the garb of 370 and 35-A.
Chugh said people in Kashmir especially the interior areas attended the BJP rallies in large numbers and unfurled the tricolor. He said thousands of people came to attend the rally in Sumbal which was once called capital of terrorists and they shouted slogans in praise of Modi which shows that there is drastic change in ground situation.
He said “Why people will not support Modi who is the heartthrob of poor and down trodden. It was his Government which gave free ration to people during lockdown to ensure that no one should go to bed hungry. The people have both love and respect for Modi” ,he added.
He said in last six years this Government provided Rs 100 crore for district Kupwara alone and many development schemes have been under taken there. The infrastructure in hospital was improved there. “We gave medical colleges and other institutions, roads and highways to J&K and this all is seen by the people”, he added.
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