Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 18: Congress workers held a strong protest demonstration here today to express strong resentment over the prevailing situation in the Kashmir valley due to mishandling of the situation by the State and Centre Govts and Pakistan’s direct and open interference to fuel further trouble besides failure of the Govt to ensure fool- proof security and adequate arrangements to Shri Amarnath Yatris.
A large numbers of Congress activists led by senior Congress leaders held a protest demonstration near Press club Jammu today to lodge strong protest over the situation which has arisen in the Valley and Pak role in recent periods especially attempts to foment trouble in the volatile Kashmir situation and described it as a direct interference aimed at instigating the troubled Valley.
Led by former Minister and PCC vice president Raman Bhalla, besides other senior leaders including Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Rajneesh Sharma, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh, S. Manjit Singh, Namrata Sharma, Indu Pawar, Anil Chopra, Pranav Shagotra, GL Chalotra, Neeraj Kundan (NSUI), Neeraj Gupta, Sanjeev Sharma, Thomas Khokhar and several others, the party workers marched towards Jewel Chowk and Tawi bridge, when the police prevented them from marching ahead.
Carrying placards and raising slogans against Pakistan and denouncing terrorism, the protesters also criticized the Central and State Govts holding them responsible for the present situation and accusing the Govt of failure to provide fool proof security to the Amarnath Yatris who had to face lot of hardships at various places enroute and were subjected to attacks and harassment by miscreants during these periods in the absence of proper security and managements.
The protesters also blamed the Govt for ignoring the warning signals during the past some time regarding the deteriorating situation in the Valley which has come out open after the killing of Hizb Commander Burhan Wani by security forces.
Addressing the gathering Mr Bhalla lashed out at the PDP-BJP for its failure to deal with the situation in the State as a result the militancy has spread its grip and situation further deteriorated. The BJP stands exposed for its total failure on all fronts and described the Pakistan role in the recent periods and now as highly condemnable. He alleged that PDP-BJP Government was silent spectator to the deteriorating security situation in the Valley. He said the Govt should ensure the safety and security of all innocent citizens including Amarnath Yatris and minorities.
The other senior leaders of the party also addressed the gathering and expressed serious concern over the overall situation in the Valley.
A large number of Mahila Congress workers, District Congress Committee, Youth Congress and Block Committees participated in the protest.
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