Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Mar 16: While bandh in Nowshera and Kalakote towns continued in support of public demand of district status and posting of Additional Deputy Commissioner, Joint Action Committee (JAC) Nowshera would lead protest march of thousands of people to Jammu tomorrow as a part of its `Jammu Chalo’ call.
Continuous bandh/ agitation in Nowshera town entered 29th day today. The agitating JAC members of Nowshera have given `Jammu Chalo call on March 17′. The people of Nowshera town and adjoining areas assembled at main bazaar today and held strong protest demonstration.
After passing through various markets during protest march, they reached dharna site in the Tehsil Complex. The people held strong protest. Several locals leaders addressed gathering and criticized local MLA/ MLC besides BJP Ministers and the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti for their role of ignoring Nowshera.
On Thursday senior Government officers including Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Hemant Sharma, IGP Jammu S D Singh, Secretary GAD Khursheed Shah, Commissioner/ Secretary Revenue Shahid Inayatullah and Commissioner/ Secretary Finance Lokesh Kumar Jha had held talks at Nowshera with JAC members but no outcome could be reached. The people refused to call off agitation and said that they would continue their agitation till Government decides their fate as it was do or die situation for them. They even refused to suspend their Jammu Chalo programme.
Meanwhile, the JAC members today raised contributory funds for the ongoing journey to Jammu. They will move on foot from Nowshera at 10 am tomorrow. They will also carry food items, tent house material, water etc with them as some tractor trolley/ load carriers will also move with them. They submitted to memorandum to SDM today seeking necessary security and other facilities like water tanker during their on foot yatra in first phase up to Sunderbani.
Kalakote town also continued indefinite bandh today, seeking separate ADC’s posting. Entire market remained closed in the town and the vehicles also remained off the road. The Kalakote JAC led by Rashpal Singh (Ex-MLA), Randhir Singh and others took out strong protest march in the town and then moved to the Tehsil Complex. They have rejected the Govt formula of rotational ADCs for Kotranka and Kalakote.
Meanwhile, people from Budhal also held protest demonstration demanding tehsil status. The people gathered in the main market and shouted slogans against Govt. They alleged that during 1980 Budhal was full fledged tehsil but NC leadership from Rajouri through conspiracy shifted it to Kotranka. They also warned to launch indefinite agitation.
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